Monks On The Move

[cavanami]

Those with the courage to speak out say the Burmese are not just afraid but intensely angry, and that this is definitely not the end of the protests.

 

"It's unbelievable what the military has done," one woman said. "In 1998 they attacked civilians, and now they have attacked monks. It's the worst thing they could do."

 

"We cannot stop our fight now. We just have to think of other ways to go on protesting," she added.

BBC

The monks are not immune to politics...some years back, the head monk in Thailand was put into prison here, so a few years! it appeared to be a basic political thing, not any wrong doing on the monks part.

[chuckwoww]

The Thai monks don't seem too bothered about what's going on next door. Too rich and comfortable I guess.

[Flashermac]

Pics in both the Post and Nation of Thai monks protesting in front of the Burmese embassy. Monks actually aren't supposed to be involved in "mundane affairs", so one could actually say the Burmese monks are doing something they shouldn't. But remember the Rangoon protests began after some monks were beaten by the govmt thugs. It was originally a protest over the mistreatment of those monks, not a campaign for democracy.

 

 

[chuckwoww]

So the Burmese monks protest got co-opted by the pro-democracy movement? Or vice versa? I guess it does put Thai monks in an awkward position.

[kamui]

Army major defects in Burma, telecom connections patchy

 

Oslo - While telephone and internet connections with Burma remained difficult Wednesday, a former army major who fled to neighbouring Thailand said he defected since he did not want to shoot at civilians and monks.

 

Swedish radio news and Oslo daily Aftenposten published the interview with Major Win and his son who arrived in Bangkok Tuesday after five days on the run from Burma.

"If he had refused to obey orders, he would have been killed," the major's 17-year-old son said.

Father and son said they hoped to seek asylum in Norway or Sweden.

 

Win said he had heard rumours of some 200 killed during the protests, but had not witnessed any killings and could not confirm the numbers.

 

The Oslo-based opposition radio station Democratic Voice of Burma on Tuesday said it had received accounts suggesting some 200 people were killed but underlined that the figures were difficult to check.

 

Official Burma tallies suggest some 10 people were killed.

 

Earlier, the Oslo-based station's news editor Moe Aye told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that telephone connections with Burma were difficult.

Some telephone numbers in the former capital Rangoon were out of order while it was not possible to get through to other cities, he said, adding that the internet connection was irregular.

 

Another development was that the army was trying to force people to give food and money.

"They raid markets for pork and chickens," he said, adding that shopowners were afraid to open their shops.

Raids included a market in Hlaingthayar on the outskirts of Rangoon.//dpa

[kamui]

I just saw a report on TV. The Burmese police, military and secret service did a lot of filming during the recent protests and now they are doing raids ever night and abduct the people they filmed during the day.

[Torneyboy]

Nasty thugs :onfire:

[FreeTime]

Something from MSNBC on this intimidation:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21109681

 

And, the plight of minorities in the conflict:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21119461

 

[bust]

The monks are not immune to politics...some years back, the head monk in Thailand was put into prison here, so a few years! it appeared to be a basic political thing, not any wrong doing on the monks part.

There has been a lot of discussion about the monks getting involved in political affairs. They are not actually involved with politics. Refusing alms and marching peacefully reminding those who are buddhist to act accordingly in a peaceful manner.

[Flashermac]

Need to send some Tibetan Fighting Monks to help them ...