It's time we focus on Myanmar
By Ryan Pierce
A democratic movement is playing across burma and around the world. The military dictatorship which is rich with the country's natural resources has oppressed the people of Myanmar and most burmese are living on a dollar a day! now budhist monks (the most revered member of burmese society) have been leading a democracy uphill battle. The military has beaten the protestors, killed monks, and have detained at least 135 monks. This is outrageous and we need to watch this carefully.
Here is an article from CNN about this crisis:
Myanmar's military leaders said weapons had been seized from Buddhist monasteries and announced dozens of new arrests Sunday, defying global outrage over its violent repression of protesters who sought an end to 45 years of dictatorship.
Recent raids on monasteries turned up guns, knives and ammunition, though it was not yet clear to whom they belonged, according to The New Light of Myanmar, a mouthpiece of the junta. The government threatened to punish any monks that violate the law, stepping up pressure on clerics who led the protests.
"Monks must adhere to the laws of God and the government," the paper wrote. "If they violate those laws, action could be taken against them."
Security eased in the largest city of Yangon more than a week after soldiers and police opened fire on demonstrators. Some roadblocks were removed and visitors began trickling back to the heavily guarded Shwedagon and Sule pagodas, the starting and finishing points of protests that began in mid-August over a sharp fuel price increase.
The junta says at least 10 people were killed in its September 26-27 crackdown -- though independent sources say the toll was likely much higher -- and that some 1,000 remain in detention centers.
At least 135 monks are being held, according to The New Light of Myanmar.
In addition, 78 more people suspected of involvement in the rallies were being questioned by investigators, it said.
Tens of thousands of people turned out for last month's protests, the biggest in nearly two decades against brutal military rule. The junta's bloody crackdown sparked international condemnation -- even from its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Malaysia urged the military regime on Sunday to quickly hold unconditional talks with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who remains under house arrest, before the world pushes harder for political change.
The comments by Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar followed a warning from the United States that it would push for U.N. sanctions against Myanmar if it fails to move toward democracy.
China and Russia, however, have expressed opposition to any such action and Myanmar's Foreign Minister Nyan Win told the U.N. General Assembly last week democracy "cannot be imposed from outside."
The junta's propaganda machine, meanwhile, continued to claim massive rallies across the country, allegedly in support of the government. The paper said demonstrators denounced the recent protests "instigated" by some monks and members of Suu Kyi's party.
Demonstrators waved placards and shouted: "We want peace, we don't want terrorists." It reported four rallies in central and northwestern Myanmar, attended by 7,500, 19,000, 20,000 and 30,000 people.
Such rallies are widely believed to be stage-managed by the government, with every family in the district forced to contribute one or two members.
The military has ruled Myanmar since 1962. The current junta came to power after routing a 1988 pro-democracy uprising, killing at least 3,000 people. Suu Kyi's party won elections in 1990, but the generals refused to accept the results.
In Conclusion:
The oppression of these people is shameful and must be stopped please donate to help the people of Burma: http://www.myanmarcharitygroup.org/
I would aks that if you choose to donate that you inform me, so that I know how big of a response i've had to this blog.
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Thank you thank you thank you. It's good to see someone noticed! Hopefully the situation will soon be rectified...it seems like the junta is starting to regret some of the things it did there though. There's even a proposed meeting between junta leader Senior General Than Shwe and opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Actually i think that meeting already occured, whether it was successful or not, I have no idea!
As good change happening in Myanmar would be, I doubt it will happen soon. The Junta has a pretty good grip on power and it they've been holding it for 20+ years, I don't think they're going to give it up all of the sudden. For the most part they've done a "good" job of stomping out movements before they pick up steam. Also, don't expect much foreign involvement since the developed countries for the most part don't get their hands dirty unless it benefits them in some way or form. Britain and the U.S. have more on their plate now than they can handle, so they're out. Not to mention that the UN is tied down by a veto from China who doesn't want Western intervention in it's back yard. This is kind of like Asia's Dafur, in a sense. So, sadly this might end up boiling down to a rather unpleasant civil war.