Let's Give Burma Monks A Round Of Applause !

Don't know if this has cuaght much interest across the pond, but BBC over here has been reporting in the last day or so that there is something of an uprising taking place in Burma. Buddihsit Monks in ,ost of Burma's Cities and towns have taken to the streets vowing to bring down the Government there. Now it looks like the Nuns have followed suit. The Burmese Governemt at this stage are fearful of taking any action for fear of causing an even wider backlash by the people of Burma as the monks are highly respected in Burma. So either we shall witness the collaspe of Burma's Goverment or a terrible tradegy unfold.

Burma Uprising

The background information embedded in your link is a story which rivals Nelson Mandela's struggle for justice. Aung San Suu Kyi will eventually have her day of justice, I'm sure.

A must read for those who want to uindestand...

For the Burmese people, Aung San Suu Kyi, 62, represents their best and perhaps sole hope that one day there will be an end to the country's military repression.


As a pro-democracy campaigner and leader of the opposition National League for Democracy party ( NLD), she has spent more than 11 of the past 18 years in some form of detention under Burma's military regime.

news.bbc.co.uk...

The bravery shown by the monks and nuns in opposition to the military regime is indeed a hopeful sign. If the public at large joins in, the regime will fail, but not without bloodshed, I'm afraid.

Applause to you Wirral Bagpuss, for bringing the subject into the light.

It has already been done -without too much attention- in Hellmutt's thread and in my own Burma and Shan State Watch List

Thank You!! I have always felt angered by the West's inability or should that be apathy over the issues surrounding Burma. Rather like Maguabe in Zimbawbe as well. at least Gordon Brown, our new Prime Minister has told Mugabue to stick it where the sun dont shine. hopefully he will come round to dealing with Burma soon !!

Originally posted by Wirral Bagpuss
Thank You!! I have always felt angered by the West's inability or should that be apathy over the issues surrounding Burma. Rather like Maguabe in Zimbawbe as well. at least Gordon Brown, our new Prime Minister has told Mugabue to stick it where the sun dont shine. hopefully he will come round to dealing with Burma soon !!

He may well do. My mum knew him when he was at Uni, he was part of their group of friends. I know she was involved with the whole Mandela/ACP movement, but I remember her saying that nobody trusted Mugabe, though he was trying to get on the same bandwagon. Gordon Browns a nice guy in person.

But yeah, good post. It reminds me alot of what happened in Tibet with the monks there, and Nepal. Religion used for a good cause, its commendable.

I've got a lot of respect for those monks and nuns.

Let's just hope it ends in peace.

Applause, Cheering, Whistling.

I wish the average American would be so brave and passionate. We are all just too cozy and comfortable. Most don't even get what is going on.

I wonder what would happen if religous leaders across America would take to the streets in support of Democracy? They are all too busy drinking the right-wing kool-aid, with the exception of the black churches and the Jena 6 protests.

In fact, wasn't there a news item recently how U.S. church leaders have been given instructions by DHS or the administration on how to encourage their congregations to submit to martial law if it is declared?

The important factor is that the world is watching. The more this gets in the news and talked about, the less likely that the government will crack down with violence.

I'd love to go join them.

I pray that they succeed.

-Knight

Hopefully this remains peaceful and non violent. These kind of actions make me happy to know that there are some people out there that are willing to try and change the injustices brought against people in a peaceful way. Although I fear the Government of Burma doesn't hold the same reservations about bringing violence to its citizen's.

Originally posted by Subcomandante


But yeah, good post. It reminds me alot of what happened in Tibet with the monks there, and Nepal. Religion used for a good cause, its commendable.

Interesting you should menchen Tibet. I was also wondering if Tibet would follow this lead and push for there freedom. I seriously doubt it would end in peace with Tibet though.

If only they had oil in Burma we might be able to bring freedom and democracy to them.

Originally posted by cloakndagger
If only they had oil in Burma we might be able to bring freedom and democracy to them.

i personally could not have put it any better... that's a real shame...

reply to post by cloakndagger


Well, the knowledge about Burma is very modest to the world.

No, they don't have much oil, but they do have some of the largest known derposits of gas under the seabed of the Andaman Sea. They have been developed for the last couple of years, but is still far from peek production.

So don't say they won't be 'liberated' by big oil. Some day they'll step in I'm sure.

The gas revenues have managed the junta to build a new capital some 300 miles inland from Rangoon. Naipyidaw, it is called.

Statements from the junta say they moved the capital for strategic reasons.

I.e. the day they are invaded they can better defend themselves.

For more background and info on Burma, please visit Burma & Shan State Watch List

I think the real question that needs to be asked here is "will they get somebody in charge who is better?"

reply to post by uberarcanist


I definately think they will get someone better than drug peddler Than Shwe. The question is if that one will be allowed to stay in power, possibly alive.

Burma and it's situation has much in common with DR Congo, rich in natural resources and mismanaged beyond repair.

The riches of all kind of minerals in Burma is vast and generally unexploited.

Like in Congo, Big Corp will step in some day that might come sooner than we know.

I'm quite sure plans are drawn behind the scenes at this very moment.

The greatest threat to a free and democratic Burma will be such plans.

a feeble attempt in there eyes

reply to post by masqua


Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas!

Originally posted by EBE154

Originally posted by cloakndagger
If only they had oil in Burma we might be able to bring freedom and democracy to them.

i personally could not have put it any better... that's a real shame...

Sorry to rain on your parade, but Burma does have resources, natural gas, in abundance which is why the US won't be riding to their rescue, because the Chinese are buying energy and laying pipelines, meaning they need the generals to stay in charge...Why don you think it's taken so ong for the UN Security Council to get around to making a statement? The US use their veto to protect Israel, China uses theirs to protect Burma, Zimbabwe and the Sudan, guess wha tthe world's hotspots for genocide are...

I'm watching this story develop from inside ASEAN, in a small irony the biggest supporters the monks have are actually the Malays (Muslims), who have been pushing ASEAN to drop the mealy-mouthed non-interference in internal affairs crap and actually demand Burma make reforms on democracy, human rights and the generally #ty way they treat their minorities and one special lady. Mostly Malaysia (after the "recalcitrant" Mahatir left the stage) are embarrassed by association...

This could, 18 years too late, be the year of Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta could find that their bull$hit foot-dragging over their constitutional convention is actually for nothing, as will be their brand new capital...

Until recently the Burmese Military junta had only the support of the Chinese to fall back on.

I am unaware of any ASEAN initiative of worthy mention that has strived for democracy in Burma in the last decade or so.

I believe though India was until recently, overtly supporting and funding the democratic movement in Burma for the following reasons:

1. Obviously a military dictatorship is something that India did not want in the neighbourhood. Being the largest democracy in the region India felt obliged to do its bit to proliferate the same in the region.I think this is the main reason the US didn't take such an overt position on this. The were 'satisfied' with th fact that the regional democratic power was actively looking into the situation.
   
2. The Burmese Military was actively supported, funded and groomed by Red China. This made any opposition to the military a natural ally and friend of India, who is anxious to limit chinese influence in South/South East Asia.
   

This passive support to Su Chi's movement didn't bear much fruit for India though.
Her campaign did not have a military resistance facet to it, so it mainly was limited to feeble protests and the whims and fancies of irregular 'public opinion'.

China on the other hand made great progress with its close relationship with the ruling military:

China had established a military listening post on the Burmese Coco Islands to keep an active and valuable watch on Indian military activities in the Bay of Bengal. Especially since all of India's civilian and military launches take place in the vicinity. Infact this was China's first foray into the Indian Ocean Area, something that alarmed India to a great extent. It is believed that this listening base is being developed into a full-fledged Chinese Naval Base. Rammifications of this are immense, it gives China a 'first person' presence to watch over its energy transits through the straits of Malacca.

The Chinese base in Pakistan at Gwadar(see related ATS thread) just of the Straits of Hormuz further strengthens this Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Area. This is something that the Indians and other nations not so friendly with China(incld the US) are very very concerned about.
Hence the recently concluded Malabar 07(see related ATS thread) naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal to possibly set up a counter to any Chinese activities in the Indian Ocean.

Ok. So back to topic..

As a result, unfortunately for the democratic movement in Burma, India has quietly begun to actively engage the military ruling body in Burma in order to 'limit' chinese influence in Burma. A obvious compromise is the distancing of itself(India) from the democratic movement.
Natural resources(mainly gas) in the region have also forced countries like China and India to actively engage the Burmese military in co-operative measures. Its a race of sorts.. a race which India was losing when it was solely siding and supporting the democratic movement in Burma.

The Burmese ruling military is now very cleverly balancing the inputs it gets from both power/influence/energy-hungry India and China while the democratic movement in Burma has lost the support of a major regional democratic power!

The Americans(or anybody else) cannot interfere in the region because China(and India) would not approve.

Me thinks Su Chi's movement needs a military wing and enough support for a possible dethroning of the military.
Only then can they hope to get active support(economical,military etc) from the likes of India. ASEAN will not be able to do much more than what India did in the last decade or so. China just won't allow it.

It looks grim for democracy in Burma!

EDIT: correcting run-ons!



[edit on 24-9-2007 by Daedalus3]