The Burmese Uprising

[Gaybutton]

For those of you following the Burmese uprising, I suggest this web site: http://english.dvb.no

 

[Guest]

Here are a few of the articles I have read over the past few days. USA tv has had this on the top of the news daily. Much attention is being placed on this. CNN has had it on tv for days and in the area I am staying, several Asian residents, all are talking about this.

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7014173.stm

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7013943.stm

 

 

[Gaybutton]

The U.N. seems to be all talk and no action. Commercial flights are still running between Burma and Thailand. Thai Air Force stands ready to evacuate Thais if the situation becomes dangerous for them. Thailand has issued travel warnings not to go to Burma.

 

The following appears in the BANGKOK POST:

_____

 

Air Force on Standby to Evacuate Thais

 

POST REPORTERS

 

The Foreign Ministry has urged people to seriously reconsider plans to travel to Burma while the military has begun drawing up an evacuation plan for Thai nationals as the security situation there continued to deteriorate yesterday.

 

People should closely watch developments in Burma before deciding to travel there, the ministry said.

 

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charunvat said the Thai embassy had called on Thais in Rangoon to stay in contact with the embassy after Burmese troops began to use violence to try and stamp out a monk-led uprising yesterday.

 

Roughly 200 Thai diplomats and businessmen are known to be residing in the former Burmese capital.

 

Events in Burma have also forced Defence Minister Gen Boonrawd Somtas to indefinitely postpone a scheduled visit to strengthen military ties with the ruling junta there today.

 

Supreme Commander Gen Boonsang Niampradit said the armed forces are being constantly updated on the situation by the Thai ambassador and military attaches in Burma. He said a contingency plan was being drawn up and aircraft were on stand-by to evacuate Thai nationals in case the situation worsens.

 

Authorities are also monitoring the situation along the Thai-Burmese border but checkpoints remain open and commercial flights were also still operating between Thailand and Burma yesterday.

 

The National Legislative Assembly will today ask the government to adopt a clear stance on the growing troubles.

 

''The government must take a clear stand on this issue,'' said legislator Wallop Tangkhananurak.

 

However, while most people were expressing fears of a repeat of violent crackdowns during the 1988 uprising that left thousands dead, some were voicing concerns of how the unrest may affect trade.

 

''I hope the protest will not get out of hand and lead to border closures as it will have repercussions on border trade,'' said Pattana Sitthisombat, president of the Chiang Rai chamber of commerce.

 

[Guest Steve1903]

This is gonna end up bad for the protestors. If they are waiting for help from the west they are deluding themselves and i think once there are a number of them killed the rest will fade into the background. I feel for these guys but i just cant see them winning.

[Guest wowpow]

Residents surround security forces at raided monastery

 

Sep 27, 2007 (DVB)ñLocal residents in South Okkalapa township have surrounded security forces who returned to Ngway Kyar Yan monastery to arrest the abbot following last nightís raids. At least 130 monks were detained in the raid on the monastery, and personal belongings including robes, rice and 2,000,000 Kyat in cash were seized.

 

Security forces returned at around noon today to arrest the abbot and took up positions surrounding the monastery. But hundreds of thousands of local residents, outraged by the raids, surrounded the troops, shouting anti-government slogans and demanding the immediate release of the detained monks. A large group of people also assembled at the junction of Weizayanar and Dhittsar roads.

 

ìThe military is surrounding the monastery and firing warning shots to disperse the crowds, but people are standing firm,î said a bystander. The latest reports from the scene say that more people are joining the crowds.

 

Reporting by Than Win Htut

Democratic Voice of Burma http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=479

[billyhouston]

What I find particularly annoying is the grandstanding of George Bush and Gordon Brown who are going to 'tighten sanctions'. If they don't know that the generals don't give a monkeys, then they jolly well ought to. Only China has real influence with Than Shwe and his thugs... short of a few tomahawks lobbed into Naypidaw.

[fedssocr]

exactly. The Chinese need to step in. But that's one slightly less repressive regime telling another what to do. If there are 50 million people and only 400,000 troops you would think that they should be able to overwhelm the military even with its guns. There are several dead already and there will likely be many more. It was somewhat encouraging to see 10000 people come out today even after the monasteries were raided and monks beat up. Reports of some soldiers refusing to beat the monks is also a bit encouraging. I wonder if there's any chance of a coup within the military?

 

As much as we would like to think the outside world can do something it is unfortunate that it appears an internal rebellion or revolution is the only way the situation inside the country will change.

[Guest]

The last moments of photographer gunned down by Burmese troops as nine die

 

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article...+die/article.do

[Guest buaseng]

What I find particularly annoying is the grandstanding of George Bush and Gordon Brown who are going to 'tighten sanctions'. If they don't know that the generals don't give a monkeys, then they jolly well ought to. Only China has real influence with Than Shwe and his thugs... short of a few tomahawks lobbed into Naypidaw.

Spot on. China is the ONLY country that the Burmese military is likely to listen to. But China will do nothing to upset the status quo in Burma as that would be setting a precedent that could be used against themselves to open up democracy and stop repression.

 

If action were taken against China maybe they would pressure Burma. Sanctions do not and will not work. As far as I can see the only way to put pressure on China (and ultimately Burma) is to hit them where it hurts in their 'face' and in their pockets. There is an ideal opportunity for that right now and that is for the International community as a whole to declare that they will boycott the 2008 Olympics - now that really would get their attention!!

 

Unfortunately most governments would be too weak-willed or self-interested to go along with it but if the US, UK and EC countries were to lead, others may follow.

[Gaybutton]

Those of you following the situation in Burma may be interested in what you will see when you click the following link:

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/01...es_30050787.php

[bedbugy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1811

 

they're all dead