exit2dos Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 The press is trying to put a spin on the protests that this is some sort of push for freedom and democracy. However, as far as I can tell the recent protests are a reaction to the increased price of oil. The BBC TV reporter seems to have some sort of agenda against Burma. He is play acting as if he was in some sort of mortal danger and he is a hero to be there covering it. I wonder if the discos are effected. There seems to be no curfew at the moment but I'll stay in BKK/PATTAYA until this blows over. I wish the US Evangelicals would march around their churches to bring the price of oil down. Funny, no mention of Aung Sun Suu Kchii. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Money i guess..but a what cost to the population.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YimSiam Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 bust, Check out the Democratic Voice of Burma website's photo section for quite a few pics - including of the events in mid-August that led to the current protests. DVB home For those with a Burma fetish, it's pretty amazing stuff. I'm blown away that people like Min Ko Naing -- who was just released last year, after 15 years in prison -- have the balls to get out there and get tossed back into prison again. And this woman Su Su Nway (who seems like she might be a new Aung San Suu Kyi, since the real Suu Kyi has been so effectively marginalised - for more check out Su Su Nway ), she was part of the protest that there's footage of - she sued government officials for using her as forced labour, and actually won, the first person to do so. Despite this she was then convicted of defaming government officials and sentenced to prison for 18 months - when she was released, someone asked her why she had taken her prison uniform with her, and she said something along the lines of "Because I know I'll be back". Giants among men. The monks aren't protesting against the fuel increases - they are, or were initially, protesting against the treatment of monks in earlier protests, in which the SPDC beat some monks. This has nothing to do with OPEC. While the protest first was triggered by fuel and food prices, then moved on to abuse of monks, now it seems to be an overall condemnation of the generals and their system - a transition guaranteed to happen no matter what the original protest, since there's no room in the generals' world for any expression that they don't control. The monks were originally calling for an apology from the generals for the abuse - and this still might offer a way out eventually, if the generals apologise for the behaviour of some 'rogue elements' in the military who mistreated monks. While in my gut I do hope for something more, for massive protests and confrontation and the possibility of change, the reality is that change is not likely to occur through people power at the present Burmese moment -- the generals are, in the end, ready and willing to shoot anyone, no matter whether they are in robes or not. (And the Thais will not give a damn, by the way, not even when the monks are killed, because they will see Burmese monks as less holy than Thai monks, not even 'real' monks, actually, and probably blame them for engaging in political activity and 'forcing' the poor generals to shoot them, when all the generals were trying to do was to protect the m - I mean, country...). Let's see how it goes, I hope it does stay peaceful for a while, at least long enough for the general population to have a chance to show their support for change... For those who have had some engagement with the Burmese opposition movements, this is all pretty moving stuff, I must admit... Seems I get a bit of dust in my eye when the footage comes on the BBC... yimsiam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 yimsiam, Your probably right about the thais as most despise the Burmese full-stop, monk or civilian is irrelevant. I sometime have to bite my tongue when I hear their opinions of them. Maybe this is the beginning of something more significant. These protests are starting to build a little momentum. Not only that the world's eyes are starting to focus on the situation. Most of the news networks are running with it and there is a growing level of concern in of all places "Hollywood". Laugh we may but if it is bringing the situation under the spotlight who really cares. The latest I heard was that someone from the US state departments was holding talks with junta officials in Beijing. Not sure if there is any truth to it or it is just in the planning. On a more pleasant note: http://www.irrawaddy.org/multimedia.php?art_id=8402 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 yimsiam, Your probably right about the thais as most despise the Burmese full-stop, monk or civilian is irrelevant. I sometime have to bite my tongue when I hear their opinions of them. Maybe this is the beginning of something more significant. These protests are starting to build a little momentum. Not only that the world's eyes are starting to focus on the situation. Most of the news networks are running with it and there is a growing level of concern in of all places "Hollywood". Laugh we may but if it is bringing the situation under the spotlight who really cares. The latest I heard was that someone from the US state departments was holding talks with junta officials in Beijing. Not sure if there is any truth to it or it is just in the planning. Ten Thousand Monks March Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted September 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 YANGON (AFP) - Detained Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi stepped out of her home in tears Saturday to greet Buddhist monks marching past the compound where she is confined by the military junta, witnesses said. Armed guards usually block the road leading to the rambling lakeside house, but in an unprecedented move, they allowed about 1,000 monks to walk past the home where she was been detained for most of the last 18 years. Under rainy skies, Aung San Suu Kyi walked out with two other women and cried as she paid her respects to the monks as they marched past in the mid-afternoon, the witnesses said. The monks stopped outside her home for about 15 minutes and chanted a Buddhist prayer: "May we be completely free from all danger, may we be completely free from all grief, may we be completely free from poverty, may we have peace in heart and mind." The witnesses said she did not appear to speak to the monks, who have been leading a series of protests against the military government since Monday. ADVERTISEMENT About 20 uniformed security police had opened a roadblock near Aung San Suu Kyi's house and did not interrupt the monks as they chanted, they added. After the monks left, the security officials again closed the roadblock. The 62-year-old Nobel peace prize winner has virtually no contact with the outside world, apart from a live-in maid and periodic visits from her personal doctor. Her National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory in elections in 1990, but the miltary has never recognised the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Think this will end end in trouble??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YimSiam Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Even if there's no major confrontation and it ends peacefully, there will be a whole slew of people quietly scooped up and sent off to Insein prison over the coming weeks and months - including young monks, I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 to change the subject a bit, If the Thai monks did the same thing against Taskin or the Junta would it get public support ? Or would a bunch of them have to die first ? In the Vietnam War I remember pictures of Monks protesting and setting themselves on fire, is that what it would take ? In the west we do not know if the Monks really have any power.... OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 You may be right ..sad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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