In recent time, most of us knew about the crisis in Burma. Or am I the only stranger here? Let me elaborate a few things based on my limited knowledge about Burma and let us see what we as human generally and of course blogger specifically can do to mitigate the brutal killing and slaughtering happening in Burma. The South East Asia country has been ruled for the past 40 years by one of the most ruthless military regime. People of Burma has been devoid of democracy all this while under the ruling regime. The last major demand of the Burmese people for democracy was started by students back in August 1988. Still remember the so called 8888 Uprising? Students, soldiers, monks all joined the protest demanding for their right for democracy. But what happened? It's come to a bloody end as the regime army killed thousands of protesters and since then the ruling regime held the country in an iron grip.
For the first time in 30 bloody years, the regime held a 'free' election in May 1990. Guys, do you remember
Aung San Suu Kyi? Yes, that
Nobel Laurette which I'm talking about. The
National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the election on May 1990. But sadly the ruling regime of the country annulled the result and do not step down. Goddamn SHIT! Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned later. Since then the protest against the military
junta has been slowing down. The Iron Grip remains strong in Burma. But that was about to change now!
Recently, in August after the rise of fuel price the military junta also witnessing the rising of Burmese people as well. Started by the activist of NLD protesting against the fuel price hike sooner joined by ordinary people and
Buddhist monks. It all started to become worst when the regime beats up several monks during a rally in
Pakokku. The regime who were actually hoping the demonstration would slow down after the incident, but the monks seems not going to slow down! Monks in hundreds and even thousands were marching all over the country demanding an apology from the government ruled by the junta. BBC states that the protest was going so huge joined 150
nuns and further urging civilians to join in the protest. The more the merrier!
The Alliance of all Buddhist Monks, who were heading the protest had sworn that they will never stop until they had “wiped the military dictatorship from the land”. Can the monks do it all by themselves? How did the monks going to fight against the junta? Don't expect that the monks will use some magic spell to ward off the machine guns shooting bullets against their chest. I doubt the monks can bring the long stolen democracy back to Burma. There is a Burmese saying tells that when the "three son's" (i.e the soldiers, the monks and the students) of the nation joins hand, the military junta can be brought down to ground.
As we knew out the the three sons, the monks are already united and marching all over the country, the students has been quietly preaching for democracy ever since 1988. Now the youngest son, the soldiers, are they going to join their elder siblings and force the so called long forgotten democracy back in Burma? Or another dejavu as it was in 1988 when the junta crushed all the dreams of democracy. At last according to
Guardian the
British newspaper the third son is just around the corner to help his elder brothers.
Guardian reported that army Division 33 has refused to shoot at the people in Mandalay. The government then ordered Division 33 to move out of Mandalay but they refused to follow the order. The junta has sent Division 99 to replace Division 33, according to unconfirmed rumors, fighting has broken out between the two divisions. The Guardian also reports that disgruntled officers have formed a group called the Public Patriot Army Association and expressed their backing for demonstrators.
It is a promising development if an entire division has refused to shoot at the people, and is more willing to fight other army divisions than unarmed civilians. Hopefully, other divisions will follow the example of Division 33, and there will be no need for infighting in the junta army. If enough soldiers refuse to shoot, the military junta will have lost their only important means of staying in power, and the people will have won a strong and important ally. Only time will tell whether the three sons together will help to save their parents, Burma.
According to
RWB, the Burmese junta has shut down Internet connections and phone lines, and
the military are hounding the foreign journalists still working on the ground. At least one was forced to take refuge in an embassy or go underground. Several Burmese publications have closed after refusing to publish propaganda articles, and the ones still in print do not cover either the protests or the government crackdown.
27.09.2007 is a sad Wednesday for Burmese people. The military junta in Rangoon opens fire against the monks and protesters killing 3 people at least. Further, police raided Buddhist temples and detained almost 200 monks on the night itself. The most saddest thing is what happens to China? It's one of the country in the world that the Burmese military junta actually listens to but sadly the Chinese together with Russia has blocked any suggestion of global sanctions against the Burmese regime at the UN security council emergency session September 26. WTF??
Despite the military junta’s violent crackdown on all forms of protests, the Burmese people keep fighting for their rights. Bravo! The junta is now focusing more on silencing the media and political opposition. Many journalists and writers are reported missing, their whereabouts unknown. While some of the monks who were arrested during the protests last week are now released, the government keep rounding up and arresting more monks, as well as journalists, writers and NLD politicians.
However, the brave Burmese people has not given up. The BBC reports that the Burmese are not just afraid but intensely angry, and that this is definitely not the end of the protests. Even when faced with very real threats of violence, torture and death, the Burmese people keep fighting for their rights. This time around they want their democracy and they will fight all the way.
Now it's time for us to support and help Burmese people. Burma really needs you to support the monks and protesters. Those protesting out there might be brave and willing to sacrifice their life for their democracy. But that's not the way this all demonstration and protest should end. The monks and protesters needs International support and this is where we blogger and fellow Internet community could came out and offer our hands! We can do it just within the reach of our fingertips.
Boycott Olympic 2008 in Beijing. China has the most power to halt the military junta generals reign of power. But sadly, China have used their permanent seat in the UN Security Council to block all resolutions mentioning sanctions against the junta. Hopefully, China should be sensitive to international pressure now, as the 2008 Olympics will be held in Beijing. Let us take this opportunity to pressure China not to use their veto power to avoid mentioning sanctions against the military junta of Burma. Guys you all can do it at both these places . 1)
China help Burma. and 2)
China help Burma.
Amnesty International also do provides the text and and address for you to mail to if you are going to target direct at the military junta for releasing all the detained monks and protesters. You can do so
here.
Please try to do any of this little help that we can do to save a nation who just needs freedom and democracy. I feel most of us here would also have the same thought like me. Let us all blogger and fellow Internet community join our hands together to be the fourth son of Burma. Let us try our best to give what the Burmese people really deserve.
thanks & regards
