Monks On The Move

[chuckwoww]

The whole thing about outside pressure is interesting too. I know some people are calling for more but it could just make the generals more stubborn. I think a few slow reforms will probably come out of this.

[bust]

Interesting video on the ongoing plight of the Burmese.

[Flashermac]

The United Nations has compiled a lengthy record of failure in trying to broker reconciliation between the junta and Suu Kyi. Gambari has been snubbed and sometimes barred from entry by the ruling State Peace and Development Council, as the ruling junta is formally known.

 

The United States, Japan and others have turned a hopeful eye on China â?? Myanmar's biggest trading partner â?? as the most likely outside catalyst for change.

 

But China, India and Russia do not seem prepared to go beyond words in their dealings with the junta, ruling out sanctions as they jostle for a chance to get at Myanmar's bountiful and largely untapped natural resources, especially its oil and gas.

 

Hopes fades

 

[Ongchaiyai]

Video..... A sad plight on the injustices they have had to deal with, not only being pursued and hunted (day inâ?¦day out) ....the bastards also put mines in their camps for when they return. Talk about physical and mental abuse. More external pressures need to be forced, (????) but maybe not sanctions (too slow) - some sort of other actions, maybe more pressure on China (who have over 7000 companies in Burma alone) and who support the Junta due to benefits of raping the rest of country of all it's minerals and other resources.

[bust]

Your link isn't working Flash but I did just read this

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/global/article2556453.ece

I am thinking that a lot of blood will need to be spilled before the people get democracy.

 

In case anyone is interested.........I'll be there .

12:30pm - 1:30pm, Thursday 4 October. Location: Martin Place - behind the fountain, Sydney, Australia Contact Info APHEDA (Union Aid Abroad)

 

The situation in Burma is now critical, with protests spontaneously erupting all over the country, and repression building to stop the movement for democracy. We must act now to support the people risking their lives for freedom, and urge the Australian Government to come out strongly in support of democracy in Burma. The cracks are appearing in the junta's control of the nation.

 

Australia must act now to show support for these brave people facing the bullets and tear gas of the fascist regime in Burma.

 

Our partners on the Thai-Burma border, the Karen Women's Organisation, have requested that people please wear RED in solidarity with the people of Burma.

[Mentors]

In light of recent events unfolding in Myanmar, Total would like to restate its position regarding its presence in the country.

September 26, 2007

http://burma.total.com/en/news/p_5_4.htm

 

 

[Torneyboy]

Needs more than that however..

[bust]

By Shino Yuasa in Bangkok

 

September 30, 2007 02:11pm

Article from: Agence France-Presse

 

DESPITE global outrage over Burma's bloody crackdown on dissent, multinational firms are still vying for the country's rich natural resources, throwing an economic lifeline to the military regime.

 

US energy giant Chevron, French oil group Total and China's top oil producer China National Petroleum Corporation are among companies giving much-needed income to Burma, defying activists' calls to pull out.

 

"All these profits go to the regime. These companies don't care about human rights and what is going on in Yangon,'' said Debbie Stothard, a coordinator of the Alternative ASEAN Network on Burma, a regional pro-democracy body.

 

Burma's junta has been condemned worldwide for launching an offensive against protesters in its main city Rangoon, killing at least 13 people, including a Japanese journalist, and jailing hundreds more.

 

US President George W. Bush last week unveiled new sanctions on the country's ruling generals in a speech to the UN General Assembly.

 

French President Nicolas Sarkozy also urged his country's businesses, including Total, to freeze their investments in the impoverished South-East Asian nation, which has been ruled by the military since 1962.

 

Total has a 31 per cent stake in Burma's major Yadana project, which would carry gas from fields in the Andaman Sea to power plants in Thailand.

 

The project is jointly run by the state-run Burma Oil and Gas Enterprise, Thailand's top oil exploration firm PTTEP, and US firm Unocal, which has been bought by Chevron. Chevron owns a 28 per cent stake in the Yadana fields.

 

Japan's Nippon Oil Corp, South Korean's Daewoo International, Malaysia's state-run energy firm Petronas, as well as two Indian power giants, Gail India and Oil and Natural Gas Corp, are also jockeying for billion-dollar contracts.

 

Nippon Oil said there would be no change in its Burma operations following the bloody crackdown on demonstrations, which had steadily grown since August 19 following a massive hike in fuel prices for ordinary people.

 

"We see the political situation and energy business as separate matters,'' said a company spokesman in Tokyo. He declined to say how much Nippon Oil has invested in Burma.

 

A spokesman for Daewoo, which recently discovered record gas reserves in Burma, declined to comment on the clampdown but said: "If South Korea decided to impose sanctions against Myanmar, we would have counterplans for that.''

 

Apart from natural gas, global companies are also seeking Burma's teak, forest products, jade, gems, beans and textiles.

 

"China and Thailand are the major buyers of teak and jade. They just want short-term business interests. They don't care about the lives of Burmese people,'' said Aung Thu Nyein, a Thai-based Burma's analyst.

 

Neighbouring Thailand is the biggest buyer of Burma's exports, and Thai firms have also heavily invested in the agriculture and tourism sectors in the military-run country.

 

Another big neighbour, India, is also flexing its economic muscle. Major state-run infrastructure firm RITES has committed to spending $US130 million ($147m) to develop a port in Sittwe, 560km west of Rangoon.

 

Indian telecom firm TCIL and pharmaceutical company Zydus Cadila are among Indian firms operating in Burma.

 

Russia, which has called the crackdown an "internal matter", also announced in May it would help build a nuclear research centre in Burma.

 

Aung Thu Nyein praised Mr Bush's tough measures against the junta and urged the world to follow the lead of the United States, a vocal critic of Burma, in an effort to pressure the military government.

 

"The world must be united in terms of imposing sanctions against Burma. Otherwise, sanctions remain useless against the junta,'' he said.

 

The US has imposed sanctions due to Burma's human rights abuses, including the detention of 62-year-old pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent most of the past 18 years under house arrest in Rangoon.

 

In the wake of Burma's crackdown, the US government ordered a freeze on the assets of junta leader General Than Shwe and 13 other senior officials.

[kamui]

MONKS AND ACTIVISTS WHO WERE ARRESTED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 26 AND 27, 2007

 

 

 

OVER 1000 MONKS WERE ARRESTED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 26 AND 27 OF 2007. THESE MONKS WERE FORCED TO TAKE OFF THEIR ROBE. MONKS WERE SEVERLY BEATEN, KICKED AND ISULTED BY SOLDIERS, RIOT POLICES, MEMBERS OF UNION SOLIDARITY AND DEVELOPED ASSCIATION â?? USDA AND MILITIAS.

 

OVER 300 DEMONSTRATORS INCLUDING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENTS FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY-NLD, MEMBERS OF NLD, STUDENTS, AND SUPPORTERS WERE ARRESTED DURING THESE TWO DAYS DEMONSTRATIONS.

 

MONKS WHO WERE ARRESTED

â?¢ 200 MONKS FROM NGWAY KYAR YAN MONASTERY LOCATED IN SOUTH OKKALAPA-RGN

 

â?¢ 4 MONKS FROM MEGGIN MONASTERY LOCATED IN THINGANGYUN TOWNSHIP-RGN

 

â?¢ SEVERAL MONKS FROM RELIGIOUS SCIENCE OF CHAUK HTAT KYI LOCATED IN BAHAN

 

â?¢ SEVERAL MONKS MOE GOUNG MONASTERY LOCATED IN YANKIN TOWNSHIP

 

â?¢ SERAL MONKS EVTHEIPHYU MONASTERY LOCATED IN BOTAHTAUNG TOWNSHIP

 

â?¢ 11 MONKS PYAW BWE, THONE DAUNG, LINGAYA, TATKONE, NAT GYI MONASTERIES LOCATED IN KACHIN STATE

 

â?¢ OVER 100 MONKS MONASTERIES FROM BAHMO, MOE HNYINAND MYITKYINAR LOCATED IN KACHIN STATE

 

â?¢ SEVERAL MONKS FROM YAWALE MONASTERY LOCATED DAWPONE TOWNSHIP â??RGNâ?¢ AYE ZAYDI MONASERY FROM KYITMYINDINE, RGN

 

â?¢300 MONKS FROM MONASTERIES LOCATED IN VORTH OKKALAPA TOWNSHIP-RGN

 

â?¢ 30 MONKS FROM ZAMBYUAYE MONASTERY LOCATED IN NORTH OAKKALAPA-RGN

 

â?¢20 MONKS WERE ARRESTED DURING THE DEMONSTRATION AT NEAR SULA PAGODA ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2007

 

â?¢ SEVERAL MONKS WERE ARRESTED DURING THE DEMONSTRAION AT SINMIN MARKET IN ALONE TOWNSHIP ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2007. RGN

AAPPB.org

[bust]

Latest word is the Military are rounding up villagers in the thousands to be used as pro-government/anti-monk demonstrators. Truckloads have been reportedly seen leaving surrounding villages of Rangoon and Mandalay to be taken to bases where they will be instructed on how to demonstrate. Non-compliance will probably be immediate execution. Another report is quoting about 900 demonstrators have been detained.