Monks On The Move

[bust]

At least it's a start. I hear with the end of buddhist lent today, the junta have sent thousand of troops back into the city for fear of the monks re-organizing protesters. This is a something the whole world should read.

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=9127

[..]

5555555555555555 Right. Burma is really high on the list of priorities for the Bush administration. Most in Washington probably couldn't even find the country on a map, so while I agree Bush is a "loudmouth bully", this protest only shows how delusional the junta really is, not that it seems to matter.

 

Myanmar's military government stepped up its propaganda campaign against the United States on Sunday, accusing Washington of inciting last month's pro-democracy demonstrations in hopes of installing a puppet government.

 

Demonstrations that began Aug. 19 over high prices for fuel and consumer goods grew into a broad-based movement for democratic reform that attracted tens of thousands of people in Yangon, the country's biggest city.

 

Yep, sounds like outside forces at work. Of course, they can say this and actually hope of getting away with it because of our (U.S.) raging popularity these days...

 

Cheers,

SD

[Flashermac]

<< Most in Washington probably couldn't even find the country on a map >>

 

Remember when Papa Bush thought Arkansas is between Texas and Oklahoma?

 

 

 

[chuckwoww]

My sense is the BBC was very involved. Those protests were highly orchestrated. The video footage was geared to TV and lots of people suddenly acquired cell phones. I'm not saying the Burmese people don't have plenty to protest about.

 

Not so sure about the US...I think the Bushies are wary about pissing China off.

[bust]

Not sure what you are trying to say here chuck. Of course the protests were highly orchestrated. As for being geared to TV and the sudden increased number of cell phones what do you base that assumption on?

The fact that â??civilian journalistsâ?? and independent media are coming to prominence in the coverage of the 2007 Burma protests is not proof of an exceptionally dynamic Burmese population, rather it is evidence of the lack of mainstream media options effectively servicing the stifled country. The Burmese population, in conjunction with media outlets operating largely outside the country, is but playing its role alongside the global consumer, a role made possible largely as a result of the great strides in technological innovation.

Through the advent of digital democracy, local knowledge has become global knowledge. It is now accurately called a form of democracy, no less so than the mechanical routine of casting a vote in a ballot box. Each time an individual takes advantage of media technology they are capturing the world in which they live, the way they want to capture it. By electing to capture a flawed image, they can also be construed as casting a vote for change.

Communications technologies are anti-authoritarian, because authoritarians control societies by their ability to control access to information. So if people can get information on their own simply by dialing up a computer, then they have ways of getting around the junta. The Internet helps to spread power out rather than concentrating it. Every computer in the offices of Naypyidaw is not only a cog in the wheels of repression, but also a reminder to the generals of the democratizing influence of technology.

[chuckwoww]

Not sure what you are trying to say here chuck. Of course the protests were highly orchestrated. As for being geared to TV and the sudden increased number of cell phones what do you base that assumption on?

 

I'm saying that the Burmese Generals have a case about outside interference. That's all. I'm not saying that makes them right about the way they run Burma.

 

Somebody knew that monks marching would make a big impact on world opinion and I watched the monks being turned around so everybody could get a good shot of their bleeding head-wounds. Somebody made sure the activists were well equipped with state of the art cellphones. Nothing wrong with that. I used to take part in protests myself. I know how it works. Protest without media attention is a waste of time.

 

Just so long as the monks weren't being used by somebody with a broader agenda I'm fine with it.

[bust]

I remember the first time I went there I tried to access my hotmail account. Big letters across screen "FORBIDDEN SITE" I later had some young kid show me a way around the block. I just not sure how you made the connection with the BBC being involved. There was nothing that I saw that indicated it and believe me I watched it very closely. I think the BBC's coverage was great but I don't think they had a hand in organizing the protests.

[chuckwoww]

I remember the first time I went there I tried to access my hotmail account. Big letters across screen "FORBIDDEN SITE" I later had some young kid show me a way around the block. I just not sure how you made the connection with the BBC being involved. There was nothing that I saw that indicated it and believe me I watched it verry closely. I think the BBC's coverage was great but I don't think they had a hand in organizing the protests.

 

Probably no direct BBC involvement but certainly a lot of tip-offs from the organizers about where and when to be. And sympathy which translated into air time...much more than it got in the US. Though I did notice that the BBC commentators didn't get much closer than Bangkok.

 

Anyway I don't want to sound like I'm on the general's side...if it helps the Burmese people get what they want, great.

 

[bust]

It's on again.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/01/2078796.htm

[Flashermac]

<< monks and their civilian supporters >>

 

Monks are in the army???