Burma ‘Reaches Tipping Point’ As Monks Take On the Military Junta
Monks stage more protests against its military rulers - despite threats of force
Some barefoot and some in sandals, they advanced steadily though the streets of Rangoon yesterday in a crimson tide of protest.
The shaven-headed monks of Burma led a demonstration of more than 100,000 against the impoverished nation’s military leaders.
Behind them in a column stretching for at least a mile through the city centre were civilians, students and political activists.
The march, cheered and applauded by thousands of bystanders, is the latest and largest in a series of protests by Burma’s monks and dissidents. Diplomats fear that the country has now reached a turning point, with the generals who have ruled the country with an iron fist for nearly half a century facing the biggest challenge to their power for 20 years.
They could crush the dissent - as they did 1988, leaving at least 3,000 dead - or they can give the monks free rein - and risk the movement spreading across the country.
Last night there were rumours of soldiers massing on the city outskirts and imminent emergency law. Britain’s ambassador Mark Canning said: “The demonstrations could subside - that’s looking less and less likely.
“Secondly, that we could see some sort of counter-reaction, which would be a disaster, although in terms of probability it, I’m afraid, ranks quite high.”
If the military do come down hard on the Buddhist monks, who are revered by the bulk of the population, it risks turning pockets of dissent into nationwide outrage.
The monks are staging more protests against its military rulers - despite threats by the government that they will use force to quell the demonstrations.
Several hundred monks have marched into Yangon’s Shwedagon Pagoda, the focal point of the largest anti-junta demonstrations in 20 years.
Many were carrying flags, including some bearing the image of a fighting peacock used by students in a 1988 pro-democracy uprising the generals crushed with the loss of around 3,000 lives.
Lorries with loudspeakers have been driving through Burma’s main city of Rangoon warning residents to stop anti-government protests.
The protests started last month when the government decided to double the price of fuels. The rises meant staples such as rice and cooking oil suddenly became more costly. The monks became involved in steadily increasing numbers when troops broke up a peaceful rally on September 5. At least three monks were hurt.
At present, the junta’s strategy appears to be softly-softly, analysts say, citing Saturday’s decision to let 500 monks through barbedwire barricades outside the house of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Democracy campaigner Suu Kyi’s 15-minute appearance was the first time the 62-year-old Nobel laureate has been allowed to be seen in public since May 2003.
It is thought that neighbour China, which is counting on Burma’s vast energy reserves to fuel its booming economy, is urging restraint on the generals.
© 2007 Associated Newspapers Ltd
How inspiring. Thank you.
In January I traveled to Burma. I have many friends in this country. Reports coming to me via email are very scarey. The government has forced the closing of all business in Yangon and Mandalay. All phone services have been cut in these cities. All power has been shut off to both cities. I am told that internet services will be terminated this evening. Everyone is very scared.
Having grown up in the United States, it’s hard to wrap my head around. I’ve read about courage in the history books, but I’ve not seen much of it in real life. I’m utterly astounded and amazingly inspired. I just love them so much for what they are doing.
“I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist due to the irresponsibility of its people. The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves.”
– Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State under Richard Nixon, about Chile prior to the CIA overthrow of the democratically elected government of socialist President Salvadore Allende in 1973
Substitute “Chilean” for “Burmese”
“I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go BLANK due to the irresponsibility of its people. The issues are much too important for the BLANK voters to be left to decide for themselves.”
– ANY US GOVERNMENT HACK
THE USA TALKS FREEDOM, BUT LIVES AND BREATHES REPRESSION, DEATH, AND TORTURE
The last sentence is very telling. I never heard anyone talk about Burma’s “vast energy reserves” before. Watch out for political justifcations for a resource grab.
This is just what we need here in the land formerly known as America (Version with Constitution).
But the powers that be won’t shut off brain-dead TV, so sadly it ain’t happening.
It is nice to see the apparent turn towards moderation by the Burmese Junta. One must assume that it has something to do with the leaders in Beijing urging restraint. One can only hope that the “face-saving” worries of Beijing leading up to the ‘08 olympics will go so far as allowing a democratic regime change in Burma. And if wishful thinking is allowed to go here at the common DREAMS forum, then we can hope that some democratic reforms can go on within China itself.
Pacem in Terris!
These people in Burma will die free or live as slaves.
Bu$h the inferior will be on the wrong side. He likes slaves. He is afraid of free people.
I find it more interesting how massive anti-war protests in the US are completely ignored or belittled by the corporate press. Yet protests in Myanmar (which has a government that, coincidently, the Neocons hate) receives full coverage.
These loving monks will be slaughtered by the junta before they will turn their backs on the suffering citizens of Burma; there is no more profound human courage in the world.
Wake Up, China!
An army of thousands of monks, armed with nothing but courage and moral authority, struggle to depose a despotic regime. That’s shock and awe! It’s great to see that someone understands that violence is not the solution.
I was in Myanmar in `96. Or “Visit Myanmar Year”. It was the military`s first tourist promotion.
Myanmar was by far the most messed up nation I have ever been to. I`d see crisp 90 kyat notes lying on the sidewalk, about a week`s wages, next to traffic police just waiting for a “traitor” to pick it up. Or it might have been a 45 kyat note. 9 was Ne Win`s lucky number. He was the ex-postal clerk who somehow found himself Head of State after Aung San, father of Suu Kyi and national hero, was assassinated.
Ne Win made everyone drive wrong side of the street when his numerologist/astrologer/fortune teller told him to move the way of his socialist ex-british colony from the left to the right. When I was there a good decade after that decree people were still had their steering wheels on the left side of the car. And those are just the funny bits. Now I as a foreigner didn`t have to worry about any of that, at all. Exept that they`d just tortured a Norwegian diplomat to death when he tried to find evidence of human rights abuses.
And should you say anything at all against it, I mean complain about there only being electricity 3 hours a day, and suddenly nobody knows where you are. Your wife, your kids, the police…
It was also the most beautiful country I have ever seen. 600 meter limestone pillars rising straight out of rice paddies. Wild bright red irises rising to my forehead. 200 meter pagodas covered from head to foot in gold leaf. A ruby the size of a shoe box. I even saw a stripped cow. I SWEAR!
The “choke point” are the Straights of Johor.
The “energy reserves” are incredible amounts of gas off the coast of Moulamain and Ye. And China has about as much to say about Burma’s humar rights record as it does about North Korea`s.
Webwalla, I`m scared too. I hope they don’t give up. Then again how can they.
The “choke point” are the straights of Johor where the US likes to keep a carrier group, right next to Singapore.
The “energy reserves” are natural gas off the coast near Mergui.
And the road they`re moving all this through was built by US engineers in ww2. The Burma road.
That`s another bit about Myanmar. It`s an incredibly rich nation where school teachers are paid 5$ a month.
In The Quiet Land
(By Daw Aung San Suu Kyi)
In the Quiet Land, no one can tell
if there’s someone who’s listening
for secrets they can sell.
The informers are paid in the blood of the land
and no one dares speak what the tyrants won’t stand.
In the quiet land of Burma,
no one laughs and no one thinks out loud.
In the quiet land of Burma,
you can hear it in the silence of the crowd
In the Quiet Land, no one can say
when the soldiers are coming
to carry them away.
The Chinese want a road; the French want the oil;
the Thais take the timber; and SLORC takes the spoils…
In the Quiet Land….
In the Quiet Land, no one can hear
what is silenced by murder
and covered up with fear.
But, despite what is forced, freedom’s a sound
that liars can’t fake and no shouting can drown.
At our place the World Service members are dedicated to preventing loss of rights and protecting citizens. Our WS helps out in natural disasters such as hurricanes, quakes, and fires. Our people eagerly serve because later in their lives others will be helping them.
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War is a thing of the past for us. We learned from our almost total collapse. About 3 of every 625 of our ancestors survived the wars, sickness and environmental collapse in our world. With sorrow, it does not look that good for you. Every vote we take sees more of the group mind inclined to give up on Earth. It is sad to document a civilization perishing. I will take memories and recordings of the good things I have seen while here. Others of our people among you are recording their local experiences. You have done much with music, art and some degree of kindness on personal levels. If you can do some good to ease the pain of those around you do Five.
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Our great Teacher Five told us we needed to Five together to live together. “Never let ignorance serve as your Master or you will shall no peace now or hereafter.” (One of us said that.)
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Fiveness to you. Peace is so limited compared with Fiveness.