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Thanks to the BBC World Service and the Irrawaddy online magazine for alerting us to this latest piece of state-sponsored cant from the 5 Watt lightbulbs at The New Light of Myanmar: -
Burma’s State Media Accuses Suu Kyi of Tax Evasion
By The Associated Press/Rangoon
January 18, 2007
State media in Burma accused pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday of evading taxes by spending her money from the 1991 Nobel Peace prize and other awards overseas.
Suu Kyi, the country's opposition leader, has been in prison or under house arrest for 11 of the last 17 years.
Burma’s military junta regularly calls her a threat to national unity and says she and her party are trying to undermine the government by collaborating with foreign powers.
The New Light of Myanmar newspaper, however, carried another accusation in its Thursday edition.
"She avoided paying taxes to the State by asking her family members abroad to spend all her cash awards provided by international organizations and honorariums presented for her works she had created abroad, instead of spending the money in the country," the newspaper wrote.
Suu Kyi was married to a British academic, Michael Aris, who died of cancer in Britain in 1999. Her two grown sons live abroad.
The junta took power in 1988 after crushing the democracy movement led by Suu Kyi. In 1990, it refused to hand over power when Suu Kyi's party won a landslide election victory.
She has received nearly 100 awards and honorary titles for her nonviolent efforts to achieve democracy in Burma. Among them was the 1991 Nobel Peace prize, for which she was awarded 6 million Swedish kronor (at today's rate, the equivalent of US$ 856,000).
The newspaper also said that the junta has treated Suu Kyi leniently by putting her under house arrest and not sending her to prison.
"It was very considerate of the government to put only restrictions on her, instead of punishing her in accordance with (the) law," the paper said.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=6587&z=163
Jromerz
24-01-07, 08:02 PM
Hmm..
So what's next? Are they also going to penalize her for all the missed business opportunities that have resulted from sanctions?
Burma's top dictator nearing the end
Burma's state-run propaganda machine has been working overtime since junta leader General Than Shwe returned from a two-week hospital stay in Singapore earlier this month - to counter mounting evidence that the ageing military chief is no longer fit for office.
In the past two weeks, photos of Than Shwe chairing meetings and mingling with foreign dignitaries have made the front page of the New Light of Myanmar newspaper almost every day, while footage of him chairing the quarterly State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) meeting has been aired on state television.
In both the footage and photos Than Shwe looks fairly robust. But the carefully managed media appearances have done little to quell reports from among Burma's political elite that the senior general is far from fit.
One source close to the top military leader told The Nation that Than Shwe had been flown to Singapore for extensive tests on December 31 last year after his personal physicians became concerned that he was suffering from intestinal cancer. Despite being cleared of the disease, Than Shwe remained in hospital until January 12 - the leader's longest stretch outside Burma for several years.
"It came out that the illness was not as serious [as cancer] but still he was away for some time. This is quite significant," said the source close to Than Shwe, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Burma's top general is a diabetic and suffers from hypertension and minor heart problems, which have long caused him complications.
Than Shwe's sudden hospitalisation resulted in him missing the January 4 Independence Day celebrations in Burma for the first time in his 15-year stint as head of the SPDC. Analysts and pundits pounced and speculation quickly spread that he was dying.
Still more evidence of Than Shwe's declining health came to light when reports emerged that he made only brief appearances at the quarterly commanders' and SPDC meetings held last week in Naypyidaw. While deceptive photos of him chairing the event have been splashed all over the official press, seasoned Burma-watchers have not been fooled. Senior Thailand-based Burma analyst Win Min said Than Shwe had also been absent from his daily duties for some time.
"We know that for about four or five months already he has been staying home and only attending meetings once a week or once a month. His health has really deteriorated," Win Min said.
This news has caused intense debate among analysts over who he entrusted control of his office to in his absence. According to sources close to the military among Rangoon's high-society circles, Than Shwe's long-time protege and potential successor General Thura Shwe Mann has almost certainly taken his place at the helm. Shwe Mann the only member of the SPDC's top cabinet without a clearly defined portfolio, and he is also Than Shwe's most important ally in the fight to stop second-in-command Deputy Senior General Maung Aye from seizing power.
"Shwe Mann is now doing most of Than Shwe's job but he is still required to defer to Maung Aye and [prime minister] Soe Win on important issues and some decisions," Win Min said.
Earlier predictions of Than Shwe and Maung Aye stepping down - but not entirely out - in favour of Shwe Mann appear, at least on initial inspection, to be correct. And the stage seems set for the two top generals to hand over the military's reins in favour of civilian roles at the head of a heavily renovated SPDC.
Plans to rename the ruling body the State Democracy and Development Council are still being floated and the ongoing National Convention to draft a new Burmese constitution - first set up in 1993 - is expected to finally come to an end in the next 12 months.
Sources close to the military elite say Maung Aye has also been spending little time tending to his official duties. "This is at the orders of Than Shwe. He wants Maung Aye to stay away from power too," Win Min said.
It would seem that everything is going according to plan. Except, of course, for Than Shwe's continued inability to control his two subordinates and put the threat of a coup from Maung Aye to rest, The Nation's source close to the general said.
"He cannot manage these two guys. Actually, he has no control over this situation," the source said adding that Than Shwe did not trust either Maung Aye or Shwe Mann to adhere to his wishes after he steps down.
While Than Shwe has worked hard to secure a safe passage from power for himself and his family in a country where military coups are almost common, the general is reported to be unsure his plans will work. "Maung Aye is supposed to step down but there is no way [Than Shwe] can be sure that this will happen," the source close to the general said.
Political pundits in Burma agree that Than Shwe's recent hospitalisation has put him at greater risk of a power challenge from Maung Aye and that his decision to spend little time at work had left him out of the military loop and highly vulnerable.
Than Shwe has reportedly put plans to hand over command of the military on hold until the fallout from his time in hospital is contained. "He is not going to give up power now," the source said, adding that there was no sign Than Shwe's family planned to give up any part of their luxurious lifestyles.
Than Shwe's equally despotic wife, Daw Kyaing Kyaing, is said to oppose the idea of her husband bowing out gracefully. Daw Kyaing Kyaing, who orders subordinates to address her as the "queen of Burma", is known to be more intent on Than Shwe staying "president for life" than the senior general himself. "She won't like it at all [if Than Shwe relinquishes his position]. She is very uneducated and only sees the need to stay in power," the source close to the general said.
For now, Than Shwe's carefully managed media appearances are likely to continue as the infamous dictator struggles to maintain his health and grip on power. Burma watchers can expect to see regular footage on state TV of the general inspecting dams, holding high-level meetings and generally maintaining the air of menace that has kept him in power for so long.
But his position hinges on his physical strength, which finally appears to be failing him. "If Than Shwe were to become seriously sick very quickly, Maung Aye will almost certainly try to take over," Win Min said.
Jessicah Curtis is a freelance journalist based in Chiang Mai.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/02/01/opinion/opinion_30025664.php
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8007
France Aims for Release of Suu Kyi
By Htet Aung
July 26, 2007
France has set its sights o*n negotiating the release of Burmese pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, according to French Deputy Minister of Human Rights Rama Yade.
The push to free Suu Kyi follows the successful negotiation with Libya by French First Lady Cecilia Sarkozy for the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor, held captive by Libya for the last eight years.
Yade told LCI television that the French government was now setting its sights o*n liberating the Nobel Peace laureate and democracy advocate detained for years by the Burmese government, according to The Associated Press.
“We welcome the French government’s interest in mediating for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” Myint Thein, a spokesperson for the National League for Democracy told The Irrawaddy o*n Thursday.
“A warm relationship developed between the pro-democracy forces and the French embassy in Rangoon following Nicholas Sarkozy’s presidential election victory last month. The French ambassador also recently attended the 60th anniversary of Burma’s Martyr’s Day,” he added.
The French ambassador earlier invited members of the NLD, the 88 Generation Students and other pro-democracy activists to the embassy’s Bastille Day celebration o*n July 14, according to an activist who attended the event.
Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for her fifth consecutive year since 2003, was not allowed to attend Martyr’s Day celebrations, which fell o*n July 19. The day commemorates the assassination of Gen Aung San, Suu Kyi’s father, and eight other national leaders in 1947.
Aung San Suu Kyi was made an honorary citizen of Paris by the French capital’s city council in December 2004 for her selfless and non-violent actions o*n behalf of the people of Burma.
In his victory speech, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said: “France will be o¬n the side of the oppressed of the world. This is France’s message, it is France’s identity, it is France’s history.”
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8007
http://ratchasima.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/u-than-lwin.jpg
[Photo: The Rule of Lords - Also see second article below, which MAY be describing the same attack as the first article.]
Activists jailed for being beaten up
Rangoon — A Burma provincial court has sentenced two human rights activists and five villagers to jail terms ranging from four to eight years for disrupting the peace when they were beaten up three months ago, human rights groups revealed yesterday.
Hinthada court Judge Aung Min Htin on Wednesday sentenced two members of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Network, Myint Hlaing and Myint Naing, to eight years in jail and villagers Kyaw Lwin, Mya Sein, Hla Shein, U Myint and U Win to four years in prison, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma.
On April 18 Myint Hlaing and Myint Naing were allegedly severely beaten by a gang of pro-government thugs in Hinthada, 100km northwest of Rangoon, where they were trying to conduct a human rights training course for the local population. The attack, which left both men in hospital, elicited a strong rebuke from the New York-based Human Rights Watch group.
‘‘This brutal attack against grassroots human rights defenders is the latest in a series of assaults on peaceful political activities in Burma,’’ said Brad Adams, director of the Asia section at Human Rights Watch. (dpa)
Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=120483
The commentary below seems to be about the same attack:
Commentary: If you can't beat them, beat them up
HONG KONG, Jul. 26
AWZAR THI
Column: Rule of Lords (http://ratchasima.net/)
On June 15 a man in upper Burma emerged from a crowd to smash another in the face with knuckledusters. Then he ran off and hid in the office of an organization under the patronage of the country's senior army commander.
The identity of the assailant remains unknown. Police officers called to the scene were denied entry to the office, even though they have the right to search any premises in pursuit of an alleged criminal.
The victim was 70-year-old U Than Lwin, a parliamentarian from the 1990 annulled general election. He had just led a small group of local residents in prayer, as part of a peaceable nationwide campaign for the release of political prisoners.
Than Lwin and his colleagues had informed the trustees of pagodas in Mettaya that they would come that morning, and they had not been refused access. So they were apparently taken by surprise at the crowds of thugs hanging around the entrances to each compound. Hoping to avoid a disturbance, they instead went to a nearby monastery. Only after praying did they see that the gangs had come to wait there too, where Than Lwin had his nose and cheek busted.
The assault on Than Lwin speaks to how the military government is itself systematically undermining the law and order that it claims ad nauseam to uphold, and upon which it has based its mandate since assuming power almost two decades ago.
That the mobs were not there by coincidence is obvious. The regime has used them in the past: notably for the murderous attack on a convoy carrying the Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters at Depayin in 2003. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that these groups are being incorporated into the routine surveillance and day-to-day intimidating of people throughout the country.
In a statement issued this week, the Asian Human Rights Commission said that it has documentary evidence of how the gangs, referred to as "swan-ar-shin" are being mobilized through township councils and government-backed groups. Members are being recruited in local markets, where store holders are obliged to stay on good terms with the councils that issue them trading permits. Their collective name speaks explicitly to their purpose: "swan-ar" is physical strength or force; "-shin" indicates someone who has mastered a quality or thing.
There is a big difference between the use of persons in uniform and those in plain clothes to assault and detain citizens. In the former case, there is at least acknowledgement of the state's role, and some necessity to justify it; in the latter there is only its denial. In the former, the state is asserting its prerogative, rightly or wrongly, as the sole proprietor of legitimate violence; in the latter it is inviting unidentified others to share in it. In the former there is a minimum degree of certainty about accepted and proscribed actions and their consequences; in the latter there is only inconstancy.
The organizing of thugs to do the work of police and soldiers thus poses a grave threat to a society, and not least of all one that is already tightly restricted, where targets of attacks have little if any means of defense or subsequent recourse. It opens the door to the worst types of atrocities, and presages further wearing away of the rudiments of criminal procedure.
The generals have enough soldiers, police, firemen, municipal officers, militias and other assorted security forces together with a miscellany of laws and regulations to manifest their continued control; they need the gangs to confuse and exhaust people, to provoke anxiety and doubt, and to co-opt more ordinary citizens into their own debasement.
But no matter what the army does, it will always encounter resistance. Even in the darkest hours under the most oppressive dictatorships some persons fight to preserve their own dignity, and with it, give cause for hope to others. After almost twenty years Than Lwin and his friends have not given up their struggle. Behind them, this regime must know, are thousands more who could be motivated to defy its will if the chances of success appear to outweigh the risks.
The unidentified assailant in Mettaya was not just a tough with a steel fist; he was the specter of arbitrary violence conjured up behind some 50 million people, to keep them in their places. Whereas the regime's central concern could at one time have been properly described as adherence to order, with or without law, this no longer holds true. Through knuckledusters it is indicating its preparedness to depart from even this limited notion of legality where it serves its topmost objective: the retaining of power in one form or another, no matter the consequences.
--
(Awzar Thi is the pen name of a member of the Asian Human Rights Commission with over 15 years of experience as an advocate of human rights and the rule of law in Thailand and Burma.)
http://www.upiasiaonline.com/human_rights/2007/07/26/commentary_if_you_cant_beat_them_beat_them_up/
The New Light of Myanmar reports almost daily on NLD members leaving the party disillusioned. While there is undoubtedly discontent with the NLD's lack of progress and its espousal of boycotts that may not help the livelihoods of ordinary Myanmese, one imagines that many of these have been coerced into their action by local government-sponsored thugs:
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/images/banner.jpg
14 NLD members of Sagaing, Myaung, Twantay Townships quit
Yangon, 23 July-Six members including U Chit Hsaing of Sagaing Township National League for Democracy, five members including Daw San San Win of Myaung Township NLD, Sagaing Division and three members including U Than Sein of Twantay Township NLD, Yangon Division, resigned from the party of their own accord and sent their letters of resignation to NLD (Headquarters) and authorities concerned on 12 July.
The letter sent to Sagaing, Myaung and Twantay Township Multi-party Democracy General Election Subcommission, said that they quit the NLD of their own volition as they no longer wanted to support the party's political activities and stand, and they also did wish to stand as NLD members.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
From Beggars to Paramilitary Thugs
In our ward, the Ward Peace and Development Council is recruiting beggars who are sleeping beside the roads and rubbish piles. The beggars run furiously when they see the WPDC authorities because they know that they will be seized to do the work of Swan Arr Shin [a government-backed paramilitary group involved in the recent arrest of pro-democracy activists in Rangoon]. Our ward is Gyar Taw Ya in Bahan Township. In other blocks also, they seize homeless people and send them to authorities o*n the orders of Swann Arr Shin. The people from our ward are sent to do these nasty works. They don’t want to, but they have no choice but to seize the loafers and send them to the authorities.
Aung
Rangoon
http://www.irrawaddy.org/letter.php?cat_id=6
I don't know if this is the same case I introduced this thread with? Different transliterations complicate the issue. If not, it may concern an anti-junta demonstration in a temple that BBC World Service were discussing about a week back.
If neither of the two above, it is nevertheless a fine example of the continual reactionary pro-junta garbage published by the New Light of Myanmar:
New Light of Myanmar
One dissolved MDC member, four NLD members inciting mass protest to cause unrest on religious pretext released after being educated
Nay Pyi Taw, 27 July - One member of the dissolved Myanmar Development Committee (MDC) and four NLD members who were seized and handed over by the people wishing to live in peace to authorities concerned for their incitement to cause public unrest on the religious pretext were released today after they had been educated.
They were abolished MDC leader Htin Kyaw (a) Kyaw Htin of Ward-E in North Oakkalapa Township, Secretary Aye Naing of Dagon Myothit (South) Township NLD, Secretary Thant Zin Myo of Hlinethaya Township NLD and youth team in charge Saw Kyaw Kyaw Min and member Aye Lwin of Insein Township NLD.
On 22 April this year at 9.20 am, Htin Kyaw (a) Kyaw Htin together with six dissolved MDC members including Thein Aung Myint holding placards demanding the protection of women and elimination of illegal tax collection in front of Sanpya Market in Ngamoeyeik Ward, Thingangyun Township incited people to cause unrest. However, the ward dwellers arrested and handed over the instigators to the authorities concerned.
On 15 May at 10.30 am, Aye Naing, Saw Kyaw Kyaw Min and Aye Lwin instigated civil unrest with an excuse for attending the prayer service at Kyauktawgyi Pagoda. Consequently, they were captured and handed over by some public members to the authorities concerned near a bus terminal on Station Road in Nantthagon Ward, Insein Township.
Likewise, as Hlinethaya Township NLD Secretary Thant Zin Myo along with 10 other members wearing T-shirts featuring the portrait of Daw Suu Kyi incited unrest by holding a prayer service at Shwedagon Pagoda for the release of Daw Suu Kyi, they were arrested near Tadabyu bus-stop in Hlinethaya Township and handed over to the local authorities concerned by some dwellers of Ward-6 of the township on 15 May at 8.20 am.
When it comes to serving the interests of their own communities, Myanmar national people are always ready and willing to contribute to the well-being of their own regions as they have had a fine tradition of cherishing their own regions and country. Moreover, without being asked or urged, they would actively participate in social welfare tasks of their own communities. And traditionally, they are peace-loving people.
However, if they think that their ward or region is harmed or stability and security of their ward or region come under threat, they protect and defend their ward or region with a sense of duty.
According to the fine traditions of Myanmar people, they handed them over to the responsible persons in order to prevent them from entering their wards for disrupting the stability and peace.
Htin Kyaw (a) Kyaw Htin can face punishments under Section (147) of Criminal Law for joining an unlawful association and getting involved in gathering a crowd, Section 124 (A) of Criminal Law for creating public outrage by holding placards to make the people hate and disregard the government, and to destroy people's admiration for the government, Section 17/20 of 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Law for distributing anti-government flyers to the people in staging a demonstration, and Section 31/46 of 1945 Police Act for illegally staging a protest that is not in conformity with the procedures. And action can be taken against Aye Naing, Saw Kyaw Kyaw Min, Aye Lwin and Thant Zin Myo under Section 5 (Nya) of 1950 Emergency Management Act for organizing some people interested in politics by holding prayer services in collusion with NLD members of many township NLDs in the name of religion, Section 147 of Criminal Act for gathering a crowd, and Section 31/46 of 1945 Police Act for illegally staging a protest that is not in conformity with the procedures. Nevertheless, the government expressed its magnanimity towards the five and educated and let them go home.
Some people learning that the government showing benevolence to and educated and let the five go home instead of taking action against them are expressing their personal views that the five who had tried to gather a crowd are the ones who did not have enough reasoning power with negative views, who are destabilizing the State in the hope of obtaining various forms of assistance from local and external destructive elements, who are persuading with selfishness the people leading a peaceful life to join them; that they should realize the kindness of the government and should mend their ways; and that if they go on so without considering possible evil consequences they will surely face punitive punishment given by the people desirous of peace and stability.
This report clearly relates to the previous post, but it doesn't exactly make the New Light of Myanmar report any clearer. Indeed, I'm wondering whether this DPA report is a misinterpretation of NLOM reports:
5 Burmese opposition members freed
Yangon (dpa) - Five people who staged a rare street protest demanding social justice in Burma in April have been freed from gaol, media reports said Saturday.
Among the five was Kyaw Htin, a leading member of a local lobby group that styles itself the Myanmar Development Committee. The other four were all members of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party.
Local officials were quoted as saying the group were freed after being "educated."
The military regime that has run Burma since the 1962 overthrow of a civilian government has made some mildly conciliatory moves recently as it moves to conclude the drawing up of a new constitution.
Overseas-based observers think the regime might intend to form some kind of civilian government within the next few years.
Although the military's vigorous persecution of anyone showing dissent continues there are sometimes rare protests by individuals or small groups who usually avoid overtly political topics.
Newspaper reports said that Kyaw Htin and his fellow protesters were "arrested by the people" on April 22, after holding up placards demanding the protection of women and an end to illegal tax collection outside a neighbourhood market in the capital Yangon.
Officials said the Myanmar Development Committee that purported to be campaigning for social justice and better living conditions had been smashed.
The military has virtually zero tolerance for any organized group outside its control.
Exiled opposition members say the military has succeeded in suppressing Suu Kyi's once hugely popular NLD party that won a 1990 election.
The charismatic leader herself remains incommunicado under house arrest, as she has been for most of the last 18 years.
Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=120511
Burmese Protests to Take on a New Sound
By Yeni
August 30, 2007
Burmese households are being urged in an anti-regime pamphlet campaign to protest noisily on three evenings in September by banging pots and pans.
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8430-Anno.gif
Other pamphlets in circulation in Rangoon are urging a revival of the historic student union and calling for a “people’s power movement,” similar to the one in 1988 that led to the downfall of the previous regime.
Leaflets obtained by The Irrawaddy call on households to create a din on the evenings of September 11, 12 and 13 by banging pots, pans and other metal items. The action will have a mystical as well as a political purpose—“The time has now come to drive away evil from your homes by creating a din by beating any products made with tin, metal and steel,” the pamphlet says.
The noisy demonstrations should be timed for 7:02 p.m., 8:01 p.m. and 9 p.m., the pamphlet directs. The digits of the three separate times add up to nine, a number given mystic importance by Burma’s ruling elite.
Among the bad influences to be dispersed by the noise campaign, says the pamphlet, are: “natural disasters [flooding throughout the country], economic decline, arbitrary detentions, the greedy ruling government oppressing their people, the people in helpless situation, disunity among the people due to the evil spirits, thugs beating good citizens, scarcity of food and needy materials among Buddhist monks, other religious people being oppressed and the evils living at Naypyidaw."
The campaign is thought likely to attract a lot of support because of its anonymous, after-dark nature, but also on account of its astrological context. Sources told The Irrawaddy that the “pots and pans appeal” was being distributed by mobile phone, email and internet Web sites.
Astrology and superstition are part of everyday life in Burma, where the prophesies of fortune-tellers are followed by virtually every family—particularly by military leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe and his wife Kyaing Kyaing. One of their favorite "advisers" is E Thi— also known as ET—a woman with a speech impediment that only her sister can interpret.
The activity of banging pots and pans occurred when former president Sein Liwn—who became known as the ''Butcher of Rangoon'' for his order to open fire on democracy demonstrators—was resigned in August 1988.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8430
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8524
Monks Take Officials Hostage for hours in Upper Burma Standoff
By Shah Paung
September 6, 2007
More than 10 high ranking officials and military officers were held hostage for about 6 hours on Thursday by monks at a monastery in Pakokku township in Upper Burma. The captors demanded the release of about 10 fellow monks arrested in a peaceful demonstration that was violently broken up by the authorities on Wednesday.
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8524-monks_protest.gif
An artist’s impression of the violent breakup of the Pakokku protests
The monks captured their hostages during a standoff in which four official cars were set on fire. The hostages included the chairman of the District Peace and Development Council in Pakokku, a regional center about 370 miles north of Rangoon with a sizable community of monks. The hostages were freed at around 4:00 p.m. but it was unclear how the two sides solved the standoff.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/Map_Pakokku.gif
The hostages were held at the town’s Maha Visutarama Monastery, known as Ah Le Tiak, an eyewitness told The Irrawaddy by phone. It is one of dozens of monasteries in Pakokku, all of which also have teaching institutes for young monks.
The monastery has about 700 monks, some several hundreds of whom participated in Wednesday’s demonstration. The monks called for a repeal of recent price increases and the release of protesters arrested in the demonstrations that are continuing throughout the country.
"Three monks were tied to an electric pole and were beaten with rifle butts and bludgeons…"
Wednesday’s demonstration by the Pakokku monks was brutally suppressed by police, troops and pro-government paramilitary thugs. Troops fired warning shots.
A Phaungdawoo pagoda trustee who witnessed the scene said: “Three monks were tied to an electric pole and were beaten with rifle butts and bludgeons…one monk, named U Sandima, sustained head injuries.” Rumor has it that one injured monk died.
Eyewitnesses said soldiers and police were joined by members of the pro-junta Union Solidarity and Development Association and the paramilitary group Swan Arr Shin in breaking up the demonstration.
They said abbot Tay Zaw Batha, chairman of the regime-appointed supervisory religious body Pakokku Sangha Maha Nayaka, took part in the suppression of the protest. He had now gone into hiding, the sources said.
One senior monk in Pakokku said that tension would continue to be very high in coming days.
Historically, monks have played a major role in political demonstrations, notably in the 1988 popular uprising and in the 1990 anti-government protests.
During the 1988 unrest, the military regime launched a heavy crackdown on the demonstrators. More than 3,000 demonstrators are believed to have been killed, including many monks and novices.
Monks across Burma refused to accept alms from military leaders following the crackdown on monasteries. Hundreds of monks and young novices who participated in the movement were later arrested and given lengthy prison terms.
The demonstrations against the fuel and commodity prices rise have been going on since August 19, led by the 88 Generation Students group and some members of the opposition National League for Democracy. At least 120 demonstrators are reported to have been arrested so far.
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 06
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/Map_Pakokku.gif
Pakokku, Magwe Division—About 10 local high-ranking officials and military officers are being detained by monks in Ah Le Taik monastery, local sources said. The monks said that if authorities release about 10 monks detained on Wednesday, they will release the officials. The monks also demanded authorities return the body of a monk who died this morning after being beaten on Wednesday by police and a pro-junta mob. Since this morning, tension has been high between the monks and the authorities. Reports say groups of lay citizens are supporting the monks.
Pakokku, Magwe Division—A local monk reportedly died on Thursday from a head wound he received when authorities broke up a peaceful demonstration on Wednesday. A crowd of about 800 monks, angered by the crackdown on Wednesday’s demonstration, greeted leaders of the local Division Peace and Development Council when they arrived at the town’s Ah Le Taik, or Central Monastery, on Thursday morning to warn monks not to demonstrate. Four of six vehicles carrying the officials were reportedly set on fire. A mood of anger grips the town and tension is running high.
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8524-monks_protest.gif
An artist’s impression of the violent breakup of the Pakokku protests
This link also contains descriptions of protests in other areas of Myanmar in recent days:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/headlines/BurmaProtests-Continue.php
See also previous two posts for map and artist's impression of events:
Burma troops fire warning shoots to break up protest by monks
YANGON -- Burma junta troops fired warning shots to break up hundreds of monks protesting Wednesday in a central Burma city Pokokku, witnesses said Thursday.
More than 200 monks in Pokokku, about 600 kilometers north of Yangon, staged a rally to protest the junta's recent fuel price hikes and adverse living conditions in the country, but they were dispersed by several warning shots fired by army troops, witnesses contacted by telephone said.
The monks, marching, reciting Buddhist prayers and some holding placards demanding lower consumer prices and better living conditions, attracted a large crowd in the city, the witnesses added.
As the crowd supporting the monks approached 1,000 people, plainclothes police and pro-junta militias started arresting the monks and the troops fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd, they said.
At least 10 monks were arrested and some of them were seen bleeding and tied up to a post.
The response was the first in which the junta used the troops and fired warning shots to break up a series of protests that began last month.
Until Wednesday, only pro-junta militia and plainclothes police had been used to control and arrest the activists.
Also Wednesday, three activists were arrested for leading a small rally in Bogalay, a town 100 km southwest of Yangon, that drew hundreds of onlookers and supporters, opposition sources said.
On Tuesday, four activists were arrested separately in Yangon and Labutta for joining a prayer session for detained democracy leader ung San Suu Kyi and for protesting the price hikes, her opposition National League for Democracy said.
An NLD member arriving at Burma's famous Shwedagon Pagoda to join the regular Tuesday prayer session was arrested by the police and taken away to a interrogation camp, while another three activists were arrested the same day when they started a 200 km journey from Labutta to Yangon to protest the price hikes, according to the NLD.
The protests were the latest in a series of demonstrations that began Aug. 19 when a group of about 300 activists led by well-known student leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi marched quietly for about 8 km in Yangon.
Without any previous warning or announcement, on Aug. 15 the military government raised the price of natural gas by up to five times, doubled the price of diesel fuel and raised the price of gasoline 67 percent.
After the Aug. 19 protest, 13 activists, including Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, were arrested. But protests continued, initially in Yangon, and later in at least 10 other cities across the country.
According to Amnesty International, more than 150 people have been detained in Burma since Aug. 19.
//(Deutsche Presse-Agentur/DPA)
See previous three posts on this issue for map and artist's impression of events:
Burmese army opens fire in monks' clash
Rangoon (dpa) - Burmese state-controlled media on Friday admitted for the first time that the military regime was at loggerheads with rebellious Buddhist monks in Pakokku, in the central region of the country.
The New Light of Myanmar, a government mouthpiece, acknowledged that security personnel had clashed with hundreds of protesting monks on Wednesday in Pakokku, 530 kilometres north of Rangoon, and were forced to disperse the demonstration by firing over the heads of the monks.
The monks were protesting against fuel price hikes implemented last month, and the arrests of more than 100 anti-inflation protestors in Rangoon in recent weeks.
The state media also confirmed reports that Magway Division military officials had visited the Bawdimandine monastery in Pakokku on Thursday and had their vehicle burned by 50 stone-throwing monks. The government officials spent several hours in the monastery before making their getaway.
Before Friday, the government-controlled press had kept quiet about the rebellious monks of Pakokku, a centre for Buddhism in Burma.
Meanwhile, according to eyewitnesses in Pakkoku, monks on Friday attacked the Nay La Store owned by a prominent government official and allowed a mob to sack the place.
Buddhist monks have a long history of political activism in Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country.
The monkhood played a prominent role in Burma's struggle for independence from Great Britain in 1948 and joined students in the anti-military demonstrations that rocked Burma in 1988, which ended in bloodshed.
Like the recent protests, the 1988 mass demonstrations were sparked by rising discontent with the military's mismanagement of the economy and refusal to introduce some semblance of democracy.
After the 1988 events, the military, although still very much in charge, dropped its socialist ideology and opened the country up to foreign investments and market forces.
But the generals' brutal 1988 crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, that left an estimated 3,000 dead, resulted in the severing of nearly all international aid to the regime.
The aid blockade and other sanctions have been kept in place for the past 19 years. Although the military allowed a general election in 1990 it ignored the outcome when 80 per cent of the votes went to the National League for Democracy (NLD) of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, sealing its pariah status in the West.
Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has been under house arrest since May, 2003. Her ongoing incarceration was harshly criticized earlier this week by US President George W Bush, who is currently attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Sydney.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121431
Unrest spreads in central Burma
Rangoon (dpa) - Anti-military protests spread Friday in central Burma where the country's military rulers have been forced to crack down on rebellious Buddhist monks, sources said.
Earlier this week Buddhist monks took to the streets in Pakokku, 530 kilometres north of Rangoon, to protest against the government's decision to double fuel prices last month and the arrests of more than 100 protestors in Rangoon.
Of Friday the dissent had spread to nearby Aung-lan town, 515 kilometres north of Rangoon, where anti-government posters were put up around the town encouraging the masses to rise up.
......
May soon expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121442
Pakokku, Magwe Division—Angry monks from Pakokku’s Maha Visutarama monastery on Thursday night tore down the home of one of the leaders of the crackdown on their earlier demonstration and also destroyed an electronic store owned by the local secretary of the regime-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association, Hla Win Naing.
Hla Win Naing has reportedly fled the town. He and Khin Maung Win—described by townspeople as a “well-known thug”—led the brutal suppression of a peaceful demonstration by monks of the monastery, also known as Ah Le Taik, on September 5.
In its report on the situation, the state-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar accused the monks of threatening Abbot Tay Zaw Batha (known as U Tejobhasa), chairman of the regime-appointed supervisory religious body Pakokku Sangha Maha Nayaka and also local bystanders.
The newspaper warned that “any attempts to incite a situation similar to the 1988 unrest would be absolutely unacceptable to the people.” No mention was made of the violence used by the authorities and regime-backed thugs to break up the monks’ peaceful demonstration.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/headlines/BurmaProtests-Continue.php
AHRC Burmese Protests special webpage:
http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/burmaprotests/
New Light of Myanmar
People will not accept any activities to destabilize the nation and harm their interests and are willing to prevent such destructive acts
Nay Pyi Taw, 6 Sept � Following a tip-off that some members of the Sangha (Buddhist monks) from some monasteries in Pakokku, Magway Division, were to stage a protest, authorities rushed to the scene and requested them to stop their protest at 2 pm yesterday. However, the monks refused the request and insisted on demonstration calling for the release of the detainees and the fall of commodity prices by holding placards featuring the words of Sangha Samaggi along Bogyoke Street. Although the authorities concerned and Township Sangha Nayaka Committee Chairman U Tejobhasa made a request again, the monk demonstrators pushed the chairman Sayadaw over and continued their protest. As danger might fall to the Sayadaw and the public passers-by, the authorities fired small weapons three times in the air to disperse the crowd of about 100 monks.
In order to stop another incident like one that happened yesterday, the secretary of Magway Division Peace and Development Council, the head of the Division Religious Affairs Department and officials, township level authorities and responsible persons from the religious field together with the members of the board of trustees of Ashetaik Monastery called on Presiding Sayadaw U Vepolla and 13 members of the Sangha at the monastery at 9 am today and supplicated on religious matters. From there they went to Bawdimandine monastery and supplicated on religious matters to the Presiding Sayadaw U Indiya and six members of the Sangha. They supplicated on religious affairs to four Sayadaws including Presiding Sayadaw U Sumangala at Alekyaungtaik monastery and Chairman of Township Sangha Nayaka Committee Sayadaw U Tejobhasa at the monastery at about 9.50 am. At the time, about 50 monks threw stones at four departmental cars that were parked outside the monastery and tried to overturn the vehicles. Windscreens and window glasses of the cars were broken. The monks stopped throwing stones at about 10.35 am thanks to the request of Presiding Sayadaw U Sumangala at Alekyaungtaik monastery. The protestors demanded officials to bring out Sayadaw U Tejobhasa and hand over their GSM phones to them.
Although officials entrusted their phones to the protesters, the latter demanded the former again to bring out Sayadaw U Tejobhasa and pounded and torched the cars they had already overturned. The protesters dispersed at about 1.30 pm.
The people who had heard or witnessed the destruction and burning of cars said that officials supplicated on religious matters to the Sayadaws to prevent the outbreak of similar incidents occurred yesterday, undermining of peace and stability and occurrence of unnecessary problems; and that the response should be through peaceful means; that the protesters should not perpetrate any destructive acts including setting automobiles on fire; that they perceived that so-called '88' generation students and NLD claimed by releasing announcements, expressing words, and informing foreign media that the protest staged on the pretext of fuel price hikes was a non-violent one, however, their activities in practice were inconsistent with their words as they came to commit destructive acts; that their activities were designed to create public outrage in order to intentionally incite a mass protest like �88� unrest; that they did not like high fuel prices and wished consumer prices to be brought down; that any attempts to incite '88� unrest-like situation were absolutely unacceptable to them; and that they wished a fall in commodity prices but would have to prevent any forms of activities designed to create a situation under the pretext of high commodity prices in which unrest and anarchism were to break out nationwide like �88� unrest.
The government has got information that external anti-government groups are giving directives and providing various sorts of assistance to internal anti-government groups to stir up mass demonstrations and instability. And it is learnt that the people will not accept any acts to destabilize the nation and harm their interests and are willing to prevent such destructive acts.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
Official Version of Pakokku Events Dismissed as Untrue
By The Irrawaddy
September 7, 2007
An official version of the standoff between monks and civil authorities in the tension-racked Upper Burma town of Pakokku, claiming warning shots had been fired to disperse protesters in the interests of public safety, has reportedly only heightened people’s anger.
Protesters marching during a demonstration in Rangoon on August 22 [Photo: AFP]
A monk at Pakokku’s Bawdi Mandine monastery told The Irrawaddy that a report on the incident in the government newspaper The New Light of Myanmar on Friday did not reflect the truth.
The New Light of Myanmar said security forces fired three times into the air to disperse a crowd of about 100 monks because they thought the abbot, Tay Zaw Batha (known as U Tejobhasa), and “local bystanders” were in danger.
Bystanders had reportedly applauded the monks during their standoff with the authorities, and The New Light of Myanmar report was dismissed as inaccurate by local people. They also said far more monks had participated in the protests than the number given by the newspaper.
“There is feeling of frustration among the monks and the people,” said the Bawdi Mandine monk. There had been an “explosion of public anger,” he said.
The monks at Maha Visutarama, monastery (also known as Ah Le Taik) took several officials hostage during the confrontation but released them after about five hours. They made three demands: the dismissal of abbot Tay Zaw Batha, who is chairman of the regime-appointed supervisory religious body Pakokku Sangha Maha Nayaka, and undertakings not to take legal action against the monks or to expose them to further violence.
It was not known on Friday whether the authorities had acceded to the demands.
Tension remained high in the town on Friday. Troops under the Northwest command were deployed in several areas.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8540
Rumors of Jimmy's Death Send Family Members to Question Authorities
By The Irrawaddy
September 8, 2007
Family members and a human rights group expressed concern on Saturday after hearing unconfirmed reports that Kyaw Min Yu, or Jimmy, a prominent leader of the 88 Generation Students group, has died in a junta detention center. Rumors said he had been tortured.
Kyaw Min Yu (aka) Jimmy
The report could not be confirmed.
Bo Kyi, the joint secretary of the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), issued a statement Saturday afternoon, acknowledging the report was based on rumors.
A family member told The Irrawaddy that members of Jimmy's family went to the Home Ministry on Saturday afternoon to try to confirm the rumor.
"The officials didn’t tell us anything, except to send a letter about the family’s concern to the ministry," said the family member.
“I am so worried about him,” said Jimmy’s wife, Nilar Thein, who is being hunted by authorities following the recent protests. A former political prisoner, she served about 10 years in prison following a demonstration in the mid-1990s.
Jimmy, 38 years old and in good health, was detained on August 21 after he and other leading activists led a peaceful march in Rangoon protesting the regime's fuel price hikes.
Jimmy played a leading role in the 1988 nationwide pro-democracy uprising. He spent about 15 years in prison.
Family members and activists said they believe Jimmy and fellow activists, including prominent leaders Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi, are being held in the annex jail of Insein Prison in Rangoon.
Security at Insein Prison has been tightened during recent weeks, according to sources close to the prison.
The AAPP statement said two other leaders of the 88 Generation Students group, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe and Min Zeya, were reportedly hospitalized.
The military government accused the leaders of the 88 Generation Students group of undermining efforts to carry out a peaceful transition of state power following the
the National Convention.
The group leaders could receive a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, if found guilty.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8552
Such heavy jail sentences are more than just an empty threat:
Six Labor Activists in Burma Jailed for Up to 28 Years
By Aye Aye Win/AP Writer/Rangoon
September 8, 2007
Six labor activists were given jail sentences of up to 28 years by a court in Burma for organizing a seminar at a US Embassy center earlier this year, a defense lawyer said Saturday.
At a hearing Friday inside Insein prison in northern Rangoon, all six were found guilty of bringing "hatred or contempt" to the government, lawyer Aung Thein said. Some were also convicted of being members of illegal associations and violating immigration laws.
The six—all in their 20s—had planned to discuss labor rights at the US Embassy's American Center in the country's biggest city, Rangoon, but it was canceled after a few participants were arrested.
Thurein Aung, Wai Lin, Myo Min and Kyaw Win were sentenced to 28 years in prison. Nyi Nyi Zaw and Kyaw Kyaw were given 20 years in jail.
Aye Aye Cho, the mother of Nyi Nyi Zaw, said her son was "unfairly and unlawfully" sentenced.
"The court did not find any incriminating document or evidence against them," Aye Aye Cho said. "They had not done anything to cause disrespect toward the government. What has been done is a violation of their human rights."
The arrests were unrelated to ongoing demonstrations in Burma over increased fuel and consumer good prices.
Burma's military government has repeatedly criticized the US and British embassies for offering classes to members of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party and other activists.
In April, a newspaper accused the American Center of harming "young Burma brains" and spreading American propaganda through a course called "English for Journalism," which teaches writing and journalistic ethics.
The center, operated by the US Embassy in Burma, offers educational courses, a library, films and other facilities that are open to all Burma citizens.
The US and Britain have imposed political and economic sanctions on the junta because of its poor human rights record and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
In May, a US diplomat accused Burma of harassment after government-run media denounced the American and British embassies for providing free courses, including English lessons, to the country's pro-democracy opposition.
The New Light of Myanmar and other state-run newspapers said waiving lesson fees for members of the NLD was "illegal" and blatant interference in the country's internal affairs.
A spokesman for the US Embassy could not be reached for immediate comment.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8550
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 08
Dawbon, Rangoon Division—Twelve members of the opposition National League for Democracy in Dawbon Township staged a demonstration on Saturday morning against the junta’s sharp fuel price hikes, according to an NLD spokesman, Myint Thein. He said the protest was led by Than Htay, the secretary of the Dawbon Township NLD. The protest was peaceful, and there were no arrests, he said.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/headlines/BurmaProtests-Continue.php
Neither the length of the headline or its color scheme are contrived in the following quote. Indeed, there are several other also quite lengthy headline tirades on the same page :
New Light of Myanmar
Foreign broadcasting stations exaggerating news reports on demonstrations involving only one or two persons
Interviewing with NLD members and so-called '88' generation students with intent to mislead the public
Exaggerating protests of Pakokku members of Sangha hand in glove with Pakokku NLD
People understand the government's carefully addressing the situation with magnanimity, showing its respect for members of the Sangha
Such violent acts somewhat harm public interests, so lay disciples concerned should hold discussions and make reviews with the monk on whom they regularly call,
in order that similar incidents will not take place again
The majority of members of the Sangha who uphold the religious code of conduct do not accept any forms of subversive acts and want to discharge religious duties in peace for flourishing of the Sasana
Nay Pyi Taw, 7 Sept � Internal and external destructive elements are inciting a period of civil unrest like the one in 1988, taking advantage of some protests that broke out in the country beginning 19 August on the pretext of the increase in fuel prices. It is also found that foreign broadcasting stations are launching political propaganda exaggerating even news reports on demonstrations involving only one or two persons and interviewing with NLD members and so-called �88' gaeneration students with intent to mislead the public.
Likewise, those foreign broadcasting stations hand in glove with Pakokku NLD are exaggerating the protests and setting fire to cars that happened in Pakokku, Magway Division, on 5 and 6 September.
At about 2 pm on 5 September, some members of the Sangha (Buddhist monks) organized a protest walk along Bogyoke Street holding placards featuring the words of Sangha Samaggi calling for the release of the detainees and the fall of commodity prices. Although authorities concerned and Township Sangha Nayaka Committee Chairman U Tejobhasa made a request, the monk demonstrators pushed the Chairman Sayadaw and continued their protest. Fearing that the life of the Sayadaw might be in danger, the authorities concerned had to open fire small weapons three times in the air to disperse the crowd.
As Pakokku NLD sent false news on the incident that happened on 5 September to foreign broadcasting stations, BBC, VOA and RFA aired the exaggerated reports that the authorities fired weapons over the monks' heads about ten times, that the monks were arrested and tortured, three others were tied to a lamp-post and tortured, and that one died of the injury and some were seriously injured. Besides, the internal destructive elements are exaggerating the incident on phone or in a secret way saying that there was bloodshed of the members of the Sangha in the country and that some were arrested, some seriously injured and some killed. In reality, there was no monk who was injured or died as any was not arrested and tortured, and only small weapons were fired in the air three times in order to disperse the crowd of protesters and save the life of the Sayadaw.
On 6 September also, a group comprising 20 authorities concerned went to Ahletaik Kyaungtaik in Pakokku and supplicated to Sayadaws in order that such incident may not occur again. At that time, about 50 monks pounded and set fire to four vehicles of the departmental officials parked outside the monastery. The monks let 20 departmental officials who were cornered in the monastery go at only 4 pm. The authorities concerned did not arrest those involved in the incident but they just monitored the situation in order not to go from bad to worse.
At 9.40 pm on 6 September some 40 monks destroyed the house of U Khin Maung Win in Ward 3, Pakokku. And then, they destroyed the Nay Nat Tha Store of U Hla Win Naing in Ward 1. Consequently, electronics, electrical appliances, Telephone Hand Sets, fluorescent lamps, VCDs and TV sets worth K 35 million in the store were destroyed. At 11.20 pm, about 60 monks were in front of the store and some 60 monks were on Shwechaung Bridge. Those monks dispersed at about 1 am on 7 September.
It is learnt that the Pakokku NLD and RFA in collusion aired fabricated news to the effect that U Khin Maung Win and U Hla Win Naing were included in those who dispersed the monks who staged a protest walk on 5 September. In retaliation, the monks destroyed the house of U Khin Maung Win and the store of U Hla Win Naing. In that incident, the Pakokku NLD incited the monks to get involved in the anti-government activities as its attempts to organize people to do so met with failure. Besides, it sent fabricated news to foreign broadcasting stations.
The people who witnessed and heard the incident are making comments that they understand the government's carefully addressing the situations with magnanimity, showing its respect for members of the Sangha; that such violent acts somewhat harm the public interests; that lay disciples concerned should hold discussions and make reviews with the monks on whom they regularly call, in order that similar incidents will not take place again; and they believe that senior monks in the respective monasteries will deal with the situation to prevent such violent activities. And it is learnt that the majority of members of the Sangha who uphold the religious code of conduct set for members of a religious order do not accept any forms of subversive acts and want to discharge religious duties in peace for flourishing of the Sasana.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
Burma cracks down on Students group
Yangon (dpa) - Burma's military on Saturday accused leaders of the 88 Generation Students Group of terrorist acts, threatening legal action against the dissidents.
State-run television and radio stations accused a dozen well-known members of the 88 Students of involvement in two unsolved bombings in Yangon, formerly blamed of Karen insurgents.
The accusations come in the wake of a spate of rare protests in Yangon against a doubling of fuel prices on August 15, in which leaders of the 88 Generation Students were actively involved.
On Friday authorities put up "wanted" posters for ten of the 88 Generation Students including Nilar Thein, Aung Thu, Ko Ko Gyi, Sein Hlaing, Aung Naing, Htay Kywe, Hla Myo Naung, Aung Myo Tin, Tin Myint Aung and Tin Htoo Aung.
State media reports said that at least one of the dissidents, Htay Kywe, "has been at large under the protective wing of a super country embassy," presumably the USA's.
The attack on the 88 students, comprising many former student activists who participated in the 1988 pro-democracy movement, comes amid signs that anti-military protests are on the rise.
............
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121462
jpatokal
09-09-07, 02:47 PM
Do you think we're looking at the seeds of a revolution here, or just more squabbles to be ruthlessly crushed by the junta? Things will really get interesting if protests start building up in Yangon, as moving the capital to whatever-its-called-today out in the sticks can't possible help the junta keep things under control in the country's biggest city by far...
http://www.irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8348-onlinecart163.gif
[Cartoon: http://www.irrawaddy.org/cartoon.php?art_id=8348]
In response to the last post, my very uninformed guess is the latter. Such is to be expected in a country that lies within the Chinese sphere of influence. It's not even as if the dissidents have much support in other neighboring countries. The Junta and the NLM may be complaining about the complicity of the BBC & others, but in fact mainstream BBC World Service Radio has hardly mentioned these incidents in recent days. Presumably such news items do figure big in the BBC's Burmese service, however.
Things will have to get way worse I fear:
Burma tightens the noose on dissent
RANGOON-- Burma's ruling junta announced Sunday that it will brook no more anti-government dissent amid unconfirmed reports of countrywide arrests and torture of prisoners who participated in recent protests against the military.
The country's government-controlled newspapers carried full-page copies of the junta's announcement No. 1/2007 which blamed recent demonstrations against fuel price hikes on subversive groups and promised "to take effective action in accordance with the existing laws" to crack down on the dissidents.
The proclamation comes amid still unconfirmed reports of mass arrests of dissidents in the countryside and of torture of dissidents arrested in Yangon last month.
"The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has received unconfirmed information that 88 Generation leader, Kyaw Min Yu (alias Jimmy), has been tortured to death while being interrogated under the orders of Burma's (Burma's) military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)," said the AAPP in a statement.
Other recently arrested dissidents from the 88 Generation Students group, including Kyaw Kyaw Htwe and Min Zeya, have allegedly been hospitalized as a result of severe torture, it claimed.
At least 13 leaders of the 88 Generation Students, a dissident group committed to non-violenct tactics, were arrested last month for leading anti-inflation protests in Yangon.
The government has put up "wanted" posters for a dozen other 88 Generation Students, and on Friday accused the group of involvement in past bombings in Yangon, a charge that will carry lengthy prison sentences.
The AAPP allegations independently verified in Yangon, but such practices have been commonplace in the past. The International Red Cross has had no access to political prisoners in Burma for several months after a falling out with authorities over government restrictions on visits.
Burma, a country that has been under dictatorial military rule for the past 45 years, has witnessed a spate of anti-government protests since August 19 in response to the government's decision to more than double diesel and petrol prices.
Unauthorized protests are illegal in Burma, which has been under martial law since 1988 when the entire country was rocked by anti-military demonstrations which were in part sparked by the deteriorating economy.
"The internal and external pessimist and opposition groups are striving to create riots and disturbances similar to the 1988 upheaval to sabotage the National Convention in order to hold on to the results of 1990, and to gain power by a short cut," said the announcement of the State Peace and Development Council, as the junta styles itself.
The military has identified the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and the 88 Generation Students as the main organisers behind the protests.
It has also accused a host of overseas dissident groups such as the National Council of the Union of Burma government in exile and All Burma Students Democratic Front among others for assisting the protests.
Meanwhile, another 50 people were reportedly arrested over the weekend in various towns in central Burma, where Buddhist monks have led protests against the military and even in one case held officials hostage in their monastery.
In Pakokku, where the monks led a protest on Wednesday, three people have been arrested. In Bogalay, authorities allegedly arrested 15 NLD members who participated in another protest, and in Lapputta, where dissidents planned to lead a march on Yangon against fuel price hikes, 15 have been arrested, according to unconfirmed reports from opposition sources.
Other arrests of NLD members and other dissidents were reported in Pathein, Wakhema and Mandalay.
The NLD won 80 per cent of the contested seats in Burma's 1990 general election but it has been blocked from power ever since. NLD leader Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since May 2003.
//Deutsche Presse-Agentur
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/09/regional/regional_30048314.php
New Light of Myanmar
Insurgents who are in contact with the so-called ?88� generation students caused the death of many citizens when they carried out a bomb attack in Maha Pathana Cave
Pyi Thit Nyunt Wai of FTUB, members of VBSW and ABSDF held a secret meeting, decided to continue terrorist destructionist acts in many parts of Myanmar
Government of the Union of Myanmar to take preventive measures against terrorist destructive acts by internal and external terrorist groups
Nay Pyi Taw, 8 Sept� The Information Committee of the State Peace and Development Council today issued Announcement No. 1/2007. The following is the full text of the announcement.
State Peace and Development Council Information Committee
Announcement No. 1/2007
Nay Pyi Taw, September 8
It has already been made known to the people through the news released in the newspapers of 25 August that the authorities concerned had taken into custody for questioning (13) persons claiming to be the (88) generation students, namely Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, Pyone Cho (a) Htay Win Aung, Min Zeya, Mya Aye (a) Thura, Kyaw Min Yu (a) Jimmy, Zeya (a) Kalama, Kyaw Kyaw Htwe (a) Marky, Arnt Bwe Kyaw, Paneit Htun, Zaw Zaw Min, Thet Zaw, and Nyan Lin, who were sabotaging the National Convention and trying to create the dialogue they wanted and to contact foreign-based terrorist organizations in order to carry out terrorist destructive acts.
On 25th of August Ma Sanda Min (a) Shwee, and on 27th of August Kyee Than (a) Than Tin who had led actions which tried to sabotage the National Convention and disturb the peace and stability of the country, were called into custody for questioning. Htay Kywe is still at large as he had been hidden at a secure place by an embassy of a powerful country.
While 15 persons including Min Ko Naing were being taken into custody the responsible officials searched their homes and seized as evidence some mobile phones, computers with over (500) CDs, and a large amount of documents.
If we look at the background of the so-called �88� generation students group, since the Armed Forces assumed the responsibilities of State to take the situation under control on 18 September 1988, the Ba Ka Tha formed and headed by Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi, and Moe Thee Zon laid down and carried out three plans of action, namely (1) to continue and carry out semi-subversive underground activities; (2) to form and act as a legal political party; (3) to fight through armed resistance, and in order to do so they formed the ABSDF terrorist organization which was then headed by Htun Aung Kyaw and Naing Aung. Likewise, the Democratic People for a New Society (DPNS) party was formed under the leadership of Moe Thee Zun to carry out overt political activities. In the same way Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Aung Din agitated through semi-subversive acts to create riots disturbances since that time. Therefore in 1989 Min Ko Naing, Ko Ko Gyi and Aung Din were arrested in accordance with the law. As Moe Thee Zun and his DPNS party were acting in conjunction with the BCP underground and contacting terrorist insurgents in accordance with their three plans of action, they were deregistered as a legal political party from 6-12-1991 onwards. At that time, some members of the DPNS went underground to continue resistance against the Government and formed the DPNS as an armed insurgent organization at the border areas on 25-5-1994.
Aung Din who was imprisoned together with Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi was released on 7-7-1993 and put up a petition to be allowed to continue his studies. As the responsible authorities concurred, he gained his B.E (Mechanical) in 1994. After that as he put up and additional petition to be allowed to go to work in Singapore, the responsible officials magnanimously gave permission to do so.
From Singapore he left for the USA. Now Aung Din is working as the director of US Campaign for Burma, which was formed by expatriates in the US and continued engaging in anti-government activities. In addition, he has been contacting Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi who were in the country and providing them with funds for the purpose of confronting and resisting the government. He also gathered false news and disseminating those news in order to create false impressions abroad. In the same way a colleague of Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi in the Ba Ka Tha, Bo Kyi, who had been in collusion with other expatriates, in the other country formed the AAPP which claims to be helping political prisoners, and is in constant contact with Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi and are together carrying out acts to destabilize the country.
The insurgents who are in contact with the so-called �88� generation students caused the death of many citizens when they carried out a bomb attack in the Maha Pathana Cave where the Buddha's tooth relic was being venerated on 25 December 1996. In the same way the ABSDF terrorist insurgents, the NCUB, Pyi Thit Nyunt Wai (a) Maung Maung from FTUB, Aung Moe Zaw from the DPNS, Tin Oo and Lwan Nee from the NLD (LA) and the terrorist groups NCGUB, (ALP) Arakan Liberation Party, and the DAB (Democratic Alliance of Burma) coordinated to cause terrorist destructionist acts inside Myanmar in 2005 and organized training courses in bomb-making and demolition. For that purpose a world-famous organization of a powerful State provided US$ 100,000 under the heading of helping refugees. After undergoing training, the ABSDF terrorists carried out another three time-bomb attacks on 7-5-2005 at about 2:50 p.m. at the Thai Goods Exhibition at the Trade Center in Yangon, Mingalar Taungnyunt, at 2:55 pm at the Junction 8 in Mayangone, at 3:00 p.m. at the Dagon Center in Sangyoung. These brutal and inhuman terrorist acts had caused (23) people killed and (162) injured.
For these acts of terrorism the ABSDF, the NCGUB, the FTUB and the NLD (LA) were declared terrorist organizations under Declaration No 1/2006 by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 2006 April 12.
The Government has shown resilience and overcome these attacks and striven for the emergence of a market economy and the democratic system as desired by the people. Through these serious efforts, unprecedented success is being achieved, and the Government is about to realize the democratic system and the market economy which the people desire and to hand over the responsibilities of the State peacefully and systematically.
At a time when the positive developments are taking place, the internal and external pessimist and opposition groups are striving to create riots and disturbances similar to the 1988 upheaval to sabotage the National Convention in order to hold on to the results of 1990, and to gain power by a short cut. In doing this the internal and external pessimistic destructionists are carrying out their three plans of action which are:� (1) attacking the National Convention with the intent of destroying it; (2) attempting to create an upheaval similar to 1988 through various means; (3) many types of internal and external anti-government activities, including bombings.
In accordance with these actions the NCUB which is composed of the insurgent remnants and the expatriate terrorists combined with the remnants of the BCP Underground and formed the Central People's War Committee to realize the people's war plan which was drawn up by the BCP. Under that Committee, they organized the legal People's Resistance Committee through the internal underground groups. In this legal People's Resistance Committee are included the so-called �88� generation students, some members of the CRPP and some members of the NLD and they, infiltrating and grooming their hard-core members into the ranks of the clergy, students, and workers, are striving to create riots and disturbances and terrorist destructive acts. To carry out these acts Bo Kyi from the AAPP collected funds to the value of 25 million Kyat and sent this money to the so-called �88� generation students headed by Min Ko Naing in the second week of April 2006, through a western embassy in Yangon. On 14 August 2006, an American NGO gave Htay Kywe US$ 30,000 through a western embassy in Yangon. Former members of Ba Ka Tha and Khin Ohnmar of NDD in the US also sent Kyat 2.5 million. Moreover, with the aim of causing internal unrest in Myanmar, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) gave financial assistance of US$ 2.9 million to be used in operations, out of which over US$ 800,000 was sent to the pessimistic organizations in the country.
Moreover, Nyi Nyi Aung from ABSDF terrorist group based in the US sneaked into Myanmar in March 2006 and met with former ABSDF members Min Zay Ya, Htay Kywe and Aung Myo Tint at the house of former ABSDF member Maung Maung Thein in Thingangyun. He met Htay Kywe, Aung Myo Tint and Lay Lwin at 7 Up restaurant at Saya San Road in Bahan in June 2006 and discussed about financing. He then illegally remitted the amount of Kyat 2.6 million and Kyat 2 million in October 2006. Again in January 2007, Nyi Nyi Aung met Htay Kywe, Ant Bwe Kyaw, Than Tin and Aung Myo Tint at Min Zay Ya's house in South Dagon and discussed about causing public uprising where he handed them about 50 stickers bearing the sign �Where there are students there must be a student union�. Once again at the same place of Min Zay Ya's house in April 2007 he met Htay Kywe, Ant Bwe Kyaw, Hla Myo Naung and Than Tin (a) Kyee Than and gave them the guidance of causing unrest. It was also found out that he met with Min Zay Ya, Htay Kywe and Ant Bwe Kyaw at their secret office in 39th street in July 2007 and handed over Kyat 300,000 and set up contacts for terrorist destructionist acts.
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http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
Too long for one post. Continued in next post.
Continued from previous post. Tirade too long for one post alone:
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The so-called �88� generation students group also sent Zaw Zaw Aung (North Dagon) and Swe Ko (Tamway) to Thai-Myanmar border in late 2005 with the purpose to get contacts with external groups in carrying out terrorist destructionist acts and causing unrests. However, their attempts were failed and Min Ko Naing and Ko Ko Gyi later sent out Nay Tin Myint (a) Nay Win on 26 May 2007. He arrived in Maesot on 29 May and got contact with foreign terrorist groups and carried out terrorist activities and resistance movements in collaboration with them. In parallel with those incidents, ABSDF terrorist group also dispatched its two members, Ma Kyi Pya Lin and Ma Soe Lin Khaing via Maesot on 3 July 2007 to commit terrorist activities by planting bombs at Nyaunghnapin National Convention Camp and in downtown Yangon.
It can be seen that synchronized with these activities, the so-called �88� generation students instigated the people to various campaigns such as the signature campaign, the white campaign, prayer meetings, the white Sunday campaign with a view towards sabotaging the National Convention and disturbing the peace and stability of the country and inciting popular uprisings.
At the same time the ABSDF terrorist group dispatched two of their members, Ma Kyi Pya Lin and Ma Soe Lin Khaing, on 3rd July 2007 through Maesot into the country to carry out bomb attacks in Yangon and also at the Nyaunghnapin Camp where the National Convention was taking place. They arrived at Hpa-an on 4th July 2007 and proceeded to Yangon and premeditated to commit terrorist acts on the anniversary of 7 July, Martyrs' Day celebrations and during the sessions of National Convention. Similarly, the so-called 88 generation students group had also assigned its member Aung Ko Naing on 14 July 2007 and he arrived at Mae Sarieng in Thai-Myanmar border on 15 July 2007 and sneaked into the country via Loikaw. Aung Ko Naing teamed up with Ma Kyi Pya Lin and Ma Soe Lin Khaing who were already inside the country and tried to bomb the venue of the National Convention while it was in session and the hostels where the National Convention delegates were residing. Having learnt the news well in advance, some big embassies issued advisories to their embassy staff not to travel outside and to take precautions during those days. However, the authorities concerned received the intelligence information on the plot to commit terrorist acts and were able to take precautionary measures in cooperation with the people. Hence, the terrorist groups failed to implement their planned terrorist destructionist acts.
Having failed to implement their plan to commit terrorist acts, Pyi Thit Nyunt Wai of the FTUB and other members of BVSW and ABSDF held a secret meeting at a house in Kan Phae in Thailand at 10.00 p.m. on 21 August 2007 and decided to continue their efforts to carry out terrorist destructionist acts in many parts of Myanmar and to dispatch four terrorist teams comprising 6 to 8 members into Myanmar. Furthermore, ABSDF, DAB, FTUB and KNU again held a meeting at the DAB Office in Maesot, Thailand from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on 21 August 2007. And Thein Win from NDD had sent Khin Thet Mar and Kyu Kyu Aung to Myanmar after providing them with two time bombs, Thai Baht 75,000 and one Satellite cell phone. They were assigned to join with other members of the UG in addition to Ma Kyi Pya Lin and Ma Soe Lin Khaing, who were already inside Myanmar, to continue their efforts for committing terrorist acts. Besides, detailed intelligence has been received that the ABSDF teamed up with NLD (LA) and sent UG Saw Thiha and one member with the assistance of the KNU and SSA (S) to take Mudon as a base and to link-up with their cadre members in Bago to make plans and efforts to destroy some important places and buildings by explosives.
In addition, intelligence was received that on 5-9-2007 the group headed by NCUB General Secretary Maung Maung and including the Chairman of the ABSDF Than Ge and the Chairman of the DPNS Aung Moe Zaw were planning to meet the NCGUB group from Tokyo, Japan, at the Daungkhwin camp in Thailand. Intelligence was also received that Ye Thi Ha (a) Sann Naing (a) San Lwin from the VBSW which is based in New Delhi, India, San Ni from ABSDF, Dr Kyaw Nyunt from the DAB, arrived at the Daungkhwin camp on 6-9-2007 and discussed about bombings. Intelligence was also received that the UG Saw Jacob, together with the Deputy Chairman of the ABSDF Myo Win arranged to come down to Maesot from Daungkhwin Camp on 7-9-2007.
Having the responsibility to protect the safety and security of the lives and property of the people, the Government of the Union of Myanmar will continue to take preventive measures against those malicious collaborated efforts to commit terrorist destructive acts by the internal and external terrorist groups and to expose and take effective action in accordance with the existing laws against those who committed terrorist bombing acts that may cause loss of lives and injuries to the people.
Information Committee
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
Probably of absolutely no real use at all to the reader, but I have to admit I like the occasional map indulgence just to get some impression of the places in which these incidents occur. Cropped scan of 1940s-surveyed American military 1:250,000 map of the vicinity of Pakkoku:
http://i3.tinypic.com/67p3nsk.jpg
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8458-onlinecart164.gif
[Cartoon: http://www.irrawaddy.org/cartoon.php?art_id=8458]
Burmese Monks Demand Government Apology
By Yeni
September 10, 2007
Burmese monks are being urged in an anti-government pamphlet to refuse alms from members of the military regime unless an apology is given for the violent way in which protesting monks were dispersed by the authorities and pro-junta thugs in Pakokku, Upper Burma, last week.
Burmese Buddhist monks worship at the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon [Photo: AFP]
Describing themselves as “the alliance of all Burma Buddhist monks,” the authors of the leaflet gave the government until September 17 to come up with an apology. Otherwise, they warned they would “hold patam nikkujjana kamma”—meaning a boycott of alms from members of the military regime. A copy of the leaflet was obtained by The Irrawaddy.
Last week's demonstration by the Pakokku monks was brutally suppressed by police, troops and pro-government paramilitary thugs. Troops fired warning shots.
A government statement issued to foreign journalists on Sunday accused the opposition National League for Democracy of organizing the demonstrations by the monks, leading "agitated mobs to destroy the homes and shops of those whom they had falsely accused."
The statement, issued by the government information committee in Naypyidaw, charged the NLD with making “seditious declarations which are against the government and cause the people to lose respect for the government." The NLD had “instigated public unrest [and] also urged the international community to sanction Myanmar [Burma], in synchronicity with the so-called 88 generation students and expatriate groups."
The military government has, meanwhile, stepped up its monitoring of monasteries nationwide, according to the sources in Burma.
“The authorities have increased their security everywhere, monitoring monasteries, schools, universities and markets," a senior monk in Taunggyi, capital of Shan State, told The Irrawaddy by phone on Monday.
Historically, monks have played a major role in political demonstrations, notably in the 1988 popular uprising and in the 1990 anti-government protests.
In 1990, monks held a patam nikkujjana kamma—as the boycott is known in Buddhist religious scripture—in response to a violent crackdown on monks in the central city of Mandalay. The military regime then forcibly seized monasteries around the country and arrested hundreds of monks. Monks who participated in the boycott were disrobed. Many were imprisoned and some were tortured.
The Taunggyi source said monks there were waiting to see what happened in the monasteries of Rangoon and Mandalay. A monk at Ma Soe Yin monastery in Mandalay said he and others there wanted to ascertain who was behind the leaflet campaign before making any move. only “influential abbots” could call a boycott, he said.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8564
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Meanwhile, the town of Pegu about 80 km (50 miles) north of Rangoon was reported on Monday to have been sealed off. A resident said anyone suspected of having opposition sympathies was being ordered to stay in the town. People from out of town were being told to stay away, the resident said.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8561
New Light of Myanmar
Provisions donated to 102 monasteries of seven townships in Mandalay Div
NAY PYI TAW, 11 Sept � The fourth donation of provisions to Maha Wisitayon Monastery in Aungmyethazan Township was held at Sasana Hitakayi Monastery in Mandalay Division this morning.
Present were Chairman of Mandalay Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Central Command Maj-Gen Khin Zaw, Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung, Chairman of Mandalay City Development Committee Mayor Brig-Gen Phone Zaw Han, officials, wellwishers and religious organizations.
The commander and the mayor and wellwishers took the Eight Precepts from State Ovadacariya Shwegyin Sasanabaing Maha Withokdayon Taikthit Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Bhaddanta Agghiya.
The commander and the mayor and wellwishers presented robes and offertories to the members of the Sangha.
Altogether 5,950 viss of edible oil were donated to 102 monasteries of seven townships.
Chairman of Mandalay Division Sangha Nayaka Committee Myataungtaik Shwewawin Monastery Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Agga Maha Saddhammajotikadhaja Bhaddanta Sasanabhivamsa delivered a sermon, followed by sharing of merits.
Minister for Industry-1 U Aung Thaung, wife Daw Khin Khin Yi and service personnel of the ministry donated alms to 420 members of Sangha of State Pariyatti Sasana University (Mandalay) led by Rector Sayadaw Agga Maha Pandita Dr Bhaddanta Pandita Warabhivamsa in Aungmyethazan Township.
The Minister presented K 523, 704 for a day meal to officials.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
Short quote from article:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/II13Ae03.html
Myanmar protests verge on mass movement
By Larry Jagan
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Nonetheless, the monks have expressed their particular concerns about the government's reported use of armed civilian vigilante groups to counter and contain protesters. Since the protests erupted last month, the authorities have arrested hundreds of people. The junta has often used pro-government thugs to disperse the crowds violently and deter journalists from recording events.
The vigilantes are known to be part of a pro-government community group, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), which the regime often deploys to drum up popular support for the junta and is expected to morph into a full-fledged political party with the SPDC's promised transition to democracy. USDA vigilantes launched an assassination attack on Suu Kyi in May 2003, and many of her National League for Democracy supporters were killed in the violent exchange.
Now the USDA's special security force, known as the Swan Arrshin, is at the forefront of countering the current protests. "The members of this group have been especially trained in crowd control and the violent suppression of protests," a Western diplomat in Yangon told Asia Times Online. "We have had reports of its foundation to act as a security and intelligence wing since the beginning of the year."
Many former criminals recently released from prison have reportedly been recruited as vigilantes, according to diplomatic sources in Yangon. At least 600 convicted criminals were released from Yangon's notorious Insein Prison in recent months and recruited by the USDA into the Swan Arrshin, the sources say. The pro-democracy opposition in Yangon puts the figure at closer to 2,000 members.
"It is the use of these thugs which has particularly upset the Buddhist clergy. Pitting Buddhist civilians against other Buddhist civilians disturbs social harmony," said a senior Buddhist monk in the central city of Mandalay, who spoke by mobile telephone. "The government should not condone this practice, let alone promote it."
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Larry Jagan previously covered Myanmar politics for the British Broadcasting Corp. He is currently a freelance journalist based in Bangkok.
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 17
Sagaing, Sagaing Division—Two army trucks carrying around 300 armed soldiers had set up a roadblock at Thayet Bin Seik, a junction for all the monasteries in Sagaing, according to an anonymous activist who spoke to The Irrawaddy on Monday. Owners of passenger buses are apparently worried that either the military or the monks might commandeer their buses as tensions rise.
Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division—More than 300 monks in Kyaukpadaung Township of Mandalay Division took part in a peaceful demonstration at 6 a.m. this morning. According to a senior monk at Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery in Kyaukpadaung, the monks marched to the city's main pagoda, Zaydi Gyi, and recited metta sutta (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness) in dedication to those people who were suffering and who faced mounting difficulties each day in making a living. Other details regarding the outcome of the demonstration—or about any crackdown—are as yet unknown, as the phone line was cut during the subsequent interview between The Irrawaddy and the monk.
Chauk, Magwe Division—About 300 Buddhist monks in Chauk Township in Magwe Division marched in a peaceful demonstration from 5:30 a.m. to about 7 a.m. During the march, the monks recited the Paritta Sutta (to protect one from evil or harm), a senior monk at Ledi monastery in Chauk told The Irrawady on Monday. The monks marched around the city market to Sasana Beikman, the city's religious hall. A senior monk added that on Sunday morning about 30 monks also marched in a peaceful demonstration after making their daily alms round. Monks in Chauk said they have not enacted a “patam nikkuijana kamma” or refusal to accept alms from the military regime and its supporters because they have not received an official letter from the “The Alliance of Burmese Buddhist Monks,” a group that called for an alms boycott on Saturday. The group also called on all monks to stage peaceful demonstrations on Tuesday, following the junta's refusal to apologize for violence used against monks in earlier demonstrations.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/headlines/BurmaProtests-Continue.php#sag
Monks Ready to Demonstrate Tuesday; Regime Ready to Crackdown
By Shah Paung
September 16, 2007
Burmese monks released a second statement on Saturday saying monks should not accept alms from members of the military government and their supporters, starting on Monday, and called for a demonstration of monks nationwide on Tuesday.
The announcement came in a second leaflet released by a group calling itself "The Alliance of All Burmese Monks." The first leaflet, released last week, demanded an apology from the junta by Monday for using violence against monks in peaceful demonstrations.
Buddhist monks make their daily round in Rangoon [Photo: AFP]
The first announcement warned authorities that monks would enact a “patam nikkuijana kamma," or refusal to accept alms, if an apology was not made.
The second statement calls for a peaceful march on Tuesday at 1 p.m. in Mandalay, Rangoon and other towns.
Monks in Mandalay were urged to march from their monasteries to Maha Myat Muni Pagoda. Monks in Rangoon were told to march from their monasteries to Shwedagone Pagoda.
Monks in other townships and villages were advised to march from their monasteries to well-known nearby pagodas.
The statement also called for an alms boycott of all members of the Union of Solidarity and Development Association, Swan Arr Shin, a paramilitary group, and all government workers.
A monk at Masoeyein Monastery in Mandalay said on Sunday: “We are preparing for this [protest]. If all monks agree, we will carry on. The main thing is we have to be united.”
A monk at Bawdi Mandine Monastery in Pakokku told The Irrawaddy on Sunday monks in the monastery will likely join the demonstration.
The threat of demonstrations escalates the stand-off between the highly respected Sangha, or organization of monks, and the military junta, following rising tension between the two sides.
Meanwhile, the Burmese military government has increased security in many restive towns across the country.
Observers say the stage is set for a violent confrontation between the public, gangs of thugs who support the junta and military troops.
An activist in Mandalay who asked to be anonymous told The Irrawaddy on Sunday that authorities have provided about 20 machetes to each Damayone (a gathering place for Buddhist religious purposes) that is believed to be loyal to authorities.
He said he had heard that officials told paramilitary groups that support the junta to crackdown on anyone involved in a demonstration, whether monks or ordinary citizens, by using the machetes.
He said that it appears to be a standing order, and the junta-friendly groups, made up of thugs, can exercise their discretion on how to put down protestors.
Residents in Pegu about 80 km north of Rangoon also say authorities there, including the USDA and the SAS, have been positioned at locations across the town, particularly near monasteries.
Scattered groups of thugs are said to number about 50 members each, carrying bamboo sticks and slingshots. Sources at Pegu said some members have shaved their heads and may have Buddhist robes to wear, an apparent move to infiltrate groups of monks.
Residents in Rangoon said on Saturday morning about 100,000 members of the USDA and SAS had gathered at Thuwunna Stadium in Rangoon to be briefed by authorities.
Meanwhile, local sources say Burmese security officers continue to keep a close watch on key members of the National League for Democracy in several towns of Irrawaddy Division. Some NLD members are not allowed to leave their homes.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8622
Leading Activist in Hiding Warns of Dangerous Days Ahead
By Kyaw Zwa Moe
September 17, 2007
A leading Burmese activist who has been in hiding for weeks says that potential protest demonstrations in coming days will probably be organized better than those in the 1988 nationwide pro-democracy uprising but the prospect of bloodshed is high.
Tun Myint Aung, a member of the 88 Generation Students group, spoke to The Irrawaddy on Monday about Burma's politically volatile state, following weeks of protest marches by pro-democracy groups and monks.
Tun Myint Aung is one of the 88 group's leading members still at-large, following the arrests of 13 leading members, including prominent Min Ko Naing, on August 21 following street protests against the regime’s sharp hike in fuel prices.
“People today are more aware of politics, and the current political situation thanks to the media abroad,” the activist said by telephone from his hiding place.
Tun Myint Aung said the Burmese people are facing an economic crisis as great as that in the 1980s. And people, including businessmen, can visibly see the ruling generals and their families and cronies enjoy unearned economic privileges, he said.
“The general discontent in the public is high,” said Tun Myint Aung . But he added that fear of the junta’s iron-fisted rule keeps many people from joining the protests, although they support goals. Another reason is simply that most people can't risk leaving their daily job upon which they are barely surviving.
He said protesters in recent demonstrations are more courageous than those in 1988.
“In ’88, we wore masks while protesting so we could not be identified,” he said. “The protesters today wore nothing though they knew they would be arrested later.”
Tun Myint Aung said pro-democracy groups must show leadership. “Our groups, including the main opposition National League for Democracy, should have strong and decisive leadership” that mirrors the needs and the feelings of the people.
In terms of the current leadership strategy, he said, “We have been in hiding in order to carry on the movement” but organizing has become more difficult, because members of his group have lost close communication following the cut off in recent days of mobile cell phone and land-line service to prominent activists and groups.
“Our movement has gone underground again,” he said.
However, he was optimistic about the current protests. “Pro-democracy groups will be able to grab opportunities this time,” he said. “Unlike ’88, we have the NLD and other political groups. And Daw Suu [Aung San Suu Kyi] is here though she is under house arrest.”
During the ’88 uprising, the then late dictator Ne Win’s authoritarian government, then called the Burma Socialist Program Party, lost control of many government ministries, but the military troops put down the protestors. However, at the time there were no organized opposition groups, he noted.
“This time we want to get this movement done beautifully without bloodshed,” he said, recalling the bloodshed in 1988 when an estimated 3,000 protesters were killed by the government’s soldiers.
Can bloodshed be avoided this time? Tun Myint Aung said he isn't sure.
“Because that’s their [the junta’s] choice,” he said. Looking back at the junta's violent crackdown on protestors in August and early September, he said there are no signs the junta has changed its attitude and a violent, bloody crackdown could easily happen in the coming days.
As Tun Myint Aung spoke to The Irrawaddy, events were moving forward inexorably.
Monday was the deadline set by “The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks” for the junta to apologize for the violence used against monks in Pakokku, located about 370 km north of Rangoon, in early September. Apparently, no apology was offered.
On Monday morning, hundreds of monks staged peaceful demonstrations in Chauk in Magwe Division and in Kyaukpadaung in Mandalay Division.
The alliance of monks has called on fellow monks in cities across Burma to peacefully march from their monasteries to local pagodas on Tuesday in protest against the junta. Local analysts say the stage is set for what could be a violent clash between monks and the junta's supporters.
“Whether or not the current protests will rise up to the level of the one in ’88 depends on the ruling generals and the way they treat the protests,” said Tun Myint Aung.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8629
Hundreds of monks protest against junta in Burma
YANGON -- Nearly 400 monks staged a peaceful demonstration in the central Burma town of Kyauk Padaung on Monday, showing their discontent on the ruling junta.
The monks in Kyauk Padaung, about 600 kilometers north of Yangon, marched peacefully on early Monday morning to protest against daily-life hardships of the people and the junta's violent crackdown on the other protesting monks earlier this month, a resident of the town said.
The protest was the latest in a series of peaceful demonstrations in Burma, sparked by the junta's decision on Aug. 15 to raise fuel prices up to five times.
Hundreds of onlookers followed the monks when they marched for about two hours in Kyauk Padaung, chanting prayers meant for the well-being of the people, the resident said.
The military junta cracked down on a similar protest by the monks in Pakokku, another central Burma town, earlier this month, sparking anger and discontent among the country's approximately 300,000 monks population.
Over 200 monks in Pakokku were protesting against the general hardship of the people and on fuel price hikes on Sept. 5, when the local authorities violently cracked down on their peaceful march, firing several warning shots and beating some of the participating monks.
Unlike in Pakokku, the authorities did not harass the monks marching Monday.
Some secretly formed monk associations in the country last week had demanded the junta's apology for their mistreatment towards the Pakokku monks, and urged all the other monks to start boycotting the junta by Tuesday if it failed to meet the demand by Monday.
The monk associations, through foreign radio broadcasts, called for a nationwide boycott by the monks, asking them to refuse any donations from the junta members and its supporters starting Tuesday.
It is not clear how many of the country's monk population would join the boycott.
Without any previous warning or announcement, the military government on Aug. 15 raised the price of natural gas by up to five times, doubled the price of diesel fuel and raised the price of gasoline by 67 percent.
Activists and opposition party members across the country have been protesting against the price hikes and adverse living conditions since Aug. 19, despite brutal crackdowns and arrests.
According to Amnesty International, more than 150 people have been detained in Myanmar since Aug. 19.
//Kyodo news
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/18/regional/regional_30049346.php
http://www.irrawaddy.org/headlines/BurmaProtests-Continue.php#kya
South Okkalapa, Rangoon; 3:00 a.m.—More than 30 young monks from various monasteries near Kyaikkasan Pagoda in Rangoon’s South Okkalapa Township participated in a peaceful demonstration between 3 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., according to monks in Rangoon. The demonstrating monks marched around South Okkalapa Township and recited the Paritta Sutta (protection from evil or harm). No crackdown by the Burmese authorities has been reported. Since last month, the Military Operations Command # 4 has been organizing security in Rangoon, including some personnel in plainclothes.
Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division; 8 a.m.—About 100 monks in Seikta Parlagu Monastery in Kyaunkpadaung in Mandalay Division marched in a peaceful demonstration from 8 a.m. to about 9 a.m. on Tuesday, a monk from Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery told The Irrawaddy. In the demonstration, the monks carried their alms bowls upside down as they marched around the city. Authorities followed the demonstration, taking photographs of the monks, but it was allowed to continue peacefully. Two other monasteries, including Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery, have also begun “patam nikkujjana kamma,” a refusal to accept alms from the military regime and its supporters, the source said. The two monasteries have a total of more than 500 monks.
Monks March as Boycott Begins—Authorities Use Tear Gas
By Kyaw Zwa Moe
September 18, 2007
Monks in Rangoon and other cities across Burma began their threatened boycott of members of the ruling military regime and their families on Tuesday, and also participated in peaceful marches. A demonstration by monks and civilians in Sittwe, Arakan State, was broken up by the authorities, using tear gas.
Monks protesting in Rangoon on Tuesday [Photo: Myat Moe Maung]
Hundreds of monks in rows of two and three peacefully marched through downtown Rangoon and Pegu. They also marched in Pakokku and other towns in Magwe Division. The monks walked in procession to local temples, chanting metta sutta and paritta sutta (Buddhist calls for kindness and protection against evil and harm).
Security forces fired tear gas to break up a demonstration by several hundred monks and civilian protesters in Sittwe, according to a local eyewitness. He told The Irrawaddy hundreds of local people had joined in the demonstration by local monks, including some Muslim residents of the town.
The news agency Reuters also said three or four monks were arrested in Sittwe as the authorities used tear gas to break up the demonstration. Protesters were hit, an eyewitness told Reuters.
Tuesday’s demonstrations were the first of this size by Burma’s monks since the 1988 nationwide pro-democracy uprising, in which thousands of monks participated.
Their alms boycott, called “patam nikkujjana kamma,” is the first time in 18 years that monks have withheld their recognition of members of the ruling military regime and their families. Most of Burma’s community of an estimated 400,000 monks are expected to follow, and there were reports late Tuesday that the boycott was growing.
Their move is seen as a significant confrontation between the Sangha (sons of Buddha) and the state and a big challenge for the military authorities. The vast majority of Burmese citizens are Buddhist, including most of the country’s military leaders.
The boycott went into effect on Tuesday as early as 3:00 a.m., in the towns of Gyobinguak in Pegu Division, Aunglan and Pakokku in Magawe Division, and in towns of Rangoon and Mandalay divisions.
Thousands of people applauded the protesting monks as they marched.
“I have never seen such a huge crowd in my life,” an eyewitness in Pegu Division told The Irrawaddy. He thought there were as many as 100,000 people present. About 1,000 monks participated in the march in Pegu.
“I have mixed feelings of happiness and sadness to see the monks turn out for the welfare of the people,” the eyewitness said. “At the same time, I am so worried that those monks might be violently suppressed.”
Monks who refused alms from the military authorities in October 1990 faced a heavy crackdown from the authorities. In Mandalay, where many monasteries are located, more than 130 monasteries were raided and monks were disrobed and given lengthy terms of imprisonment. As many as 300 monks were forced to disrobe and arrested across the country.
Apart from Sittwe, there were no reports of official action against the protesters. In Zigon, Pegu Division, a local resident said he saw a board reading: “Than Shwe, Maung Aye and Shwe Mann, who are against Buddhism, go to hell.” Than Shwe, Maung Aye and Shwe Mann are the junta’s top leaders.
Witnesses said the marching monks were disciplined and didn’t allow supporters and bystanders to join them. Rumors are circulating that bogus monks are being infiltrated to stir up trouble and bring about a legitimate crackdown by the authorities.
In demonstrations in August and early September, the military regime organized mobs to violently disperse the protesters.
Observers expect that as the boycott grows in coming days the military authorities will try to persuade senior monks to control their monks. High-ranking military officers and ministers have been making merit recently in unusual displays of Buddhist fealty.
One senior monk in Koesaung monastery in Myingyan, Magwe Division, commented on the demonstrations: “That’s what we monks should be doing.”
A member of the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks said in an interview: “This is a fight between dhamma and ah-dhamma (between justice and injustice).”
Shah Paung also contributed to this story.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8647
Well, perhaps not the most brutal response - but certainly teargas, arrests, roughings-up and intimidations yet again:
Monks tear-gassed in Burma protest
(Agencies) - Authorities in military-ruled Burma fired tear gas on Tuesday to break up a protest of around 1,000 Buddhist monks and civilian demonstrators in the northwestern city of Sittwe, a witness said.
The march defied the military regime and chanted Buddhist prayers in the biggest anti-junta rally in a decade.
Three or four monks were arrested as the crowd scattered and were hit and slapped, the witness told the Reuters news agency.
More than 300 monks tried to march to Rangoon's famous Shwedagon Pagoda, but authorities sealed off Burma's most important landmark and the city's two other main pagodas, forcing them to march through the city.
The march, one of several in response to a call for a nationwide religious boycott of Burma's ruling military, started with 500 Buddhist monks but grew quickly as ordinary men and women - some of them Muslims - joined in.
Hundreds of people joined the march, smiling and clapping as they followed the monks, witnesses said. While the protest was not impeded by police, authorities seized cameras from two journalists working for the Japanese media.
But security officials used tear gas and fired warning shots in the air to disperse 1,000 monks protesting against the junta in Sittwe, west of Rangoon.
At least three monks were arrested in the port city, 560 kilometres (350 miles) west of Rangoon.
In Pegu, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Rangoon, at least 1,000 monks marched peacefully to a local pagoda, according to witnesses.
"They marched around the city to the Shwemawdaw pagoda while thousands of people were watching," one eyewitness told AFP.
Some 300 monks protested in two towns near the city of Mandalay and 90 monks also took to the streets peacefully for two hours in Aunglan, north of Rangoon, a Rangoon-based Western diplomat said, citing witnesses in the towns.
A resident in Pakokku, south of Mandalay, also told AFP that monks marched through the town. Mandalay, Burma's second-largest city, is home to 300,000 Buddhist monks.
Tuesday's marches by monks marked the biggest show of public defiance against the Burmese junta since peaceful street demonstrations broke out in Rangoon on August 19 in anger at an enormous hike in fuel prices.
The junta runs the country with an iron fist and does not tolerate even the slightest show of public dissent. Authorities have arrested more than 150 people over a series of protests since late August.
More than 200 riot police remained in trucks on nearby streets in Rangoon Tuesday while dozens of plainclothed officers on motorcycles followed the marching monks. Authorities have yet to arrest anyone from the Rangoon rally.
Monks are important cultural standard-bearers in this devoutly Buddhist nation.
The junta is cautious about quelling dissent among monks since a violent crackdown against them earlier in the month triggered outrage, prompting young monks to briefly kidnap government officials at a monastery.
Monks have demanded an apology from the government after soldiers beat them with bamboo sticks.
"This time, authorities are very careful. They did not want to harm monks because they knew such acts could backfire against them," said Win Min, a Thailand-based analyst.
"Monks are likely to continue their protests until the government apologises."
Aung Naing Oo, a Thai-based analyst, said the marches by monks underlined their growing frustrations with the junta.
"The marches were significant because they defied tight security. Monks are very frustrated with the junta's handling of the economy," he said.
The Burmese economy has been reeling under decades of mismanagement by the junta, while tighter European Union and US sanctions since the detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in May 2003 are also biting hard.
Burma's state media has labelled the protest leaders as "devils" and accused them of trying to corrupt young monks.
Buddhist monks were credited with helping to rally popular support for a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was crushed by the military when soldiers opened fire on protesters, killing hundreds if not thousands of people.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121806
This page is being updated:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#sit
Photographic slide show of a monk demo in Yangon yesterday:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/multimedia.php?art_id=8646
Burmese Junta Orders State Emergency, Authorizes Use of Weapons, Says Source
By Shah Paung
September 19, 2007
The Burmese military government has ordered a state of emergency authorizing regional and local authorities to control demonstrations, including an order to open fire on protesters if necessary, according to sources.
The government secretly conveyed the emergency order to the military, local police and special branch authorities, a source close to local authorities and ethnic ceasefire groups told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.
Police officials in Naypyidaw, the regime's new capital, issued a state of emergency order to local police on September 6, said the source.
The military and police have been told to prepare for any eventuality and to stockpile weapons, loudspeakers, cameras, barbed wire, bullet proof jackets, red and blue colored scarves, medical supplies and other equipment. Hospitals have been told to prepare for large numbers of injured persons, according to sources.
Demonstrations by monks have spread through Rangoon and outlying cities, following a violent crackdown by authorities on monks who held a peaceful demonstration in Pakokku in Magwe Division on September 5.Tension between monks and authorities have increased in recent days.
Since demonstrations started on August 19, led by the 88 Generation Students group and members of the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, the Burmese military government been preparing for possible public unrest, following a draconian increase in fuel prices.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8660
I will be posting the occasional item on this crisis, but I recommend you update on a more regular basis at:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
New Light of Myanmar
Destructive elements inciting instigation to grab power through short cut
Foreign radio stations airing exaggerated news, trying to instigate public, launching propaganda campaigns
Due to exaggerations, tricks and instigation by bogus monks, violent demonstrations break out in Pakokku, some monks stage protest walk in Sittway
Some Buddhist monks also march in procession in Yangon
People oppose any attempt to destroy peace and stability, wish Sayadaws to guide monks to follow Vinaya rules in interest of people
Nay Pyi Taw, 18 Sept � Destructive elements from inside and outside the nation have been inciting instigation since 19 August with the intention of stirring up unrest as in 1988 to grab power through short cut and to make manipulations at will.
Internal and external saboteurs and foreign radio stations have been airing exaggerated news reports on the protests, trying to instigate the public and launching propaganda campaigns and making attempts to mislead the people by holding interviews with some NLD members and the so-called 88 generation students.
Due to exaggerations, tricks and instigation and the perpetration to organize the members of the Sangha by planting bogus monks, there broke out violent demonstrations in Pakokku on 5 and 6 September in which cars were burnt down. News about the violent demonstration had already been reported in the dailies.
With the intention of causing new protests and fueling them, internal and external saboteurs organized members of the Sangha to stage Pattanikkujjana campaign beginning 17 September (Monday) and monks in Yangon, Mandalay and states and divisions to stage protest walks towards famous pagodas on 18 September (Tuesday) through the so-called All Myanmar Sangha Sammaggi and Young Monks Samagga, issued announcements concerning their opinions about the detained so-called 88 generation students and the so-called announcement of the personnel of four departments, tried to trick the people by saying that the so-called Myanmar Saveguarding Association was urging the public to beat hollow tin containers or steel trays from 11 to 13 September and issued directives to be followed by terrorist expatriates abroad.
Due to such agitation and other instigation made by bogus monks within the Sangha community, about 50 monks staged a protest walk in Sittway, Rakhine State, at 1.15 pm today. The monks began their protest at Dhammazeti and Shweseti monasteries. The number of monks increased to 100 when the protest walk reached Minbagyi Street at about 2 pm. There were about 500 people following and watching the protesters from either side.
Two Sayadaws of the Central Working Committee of the Sangha, the chairman Sayadaw of the Township Sangha Nayaka Committee and division and township level officials followed the protesters to dissuade them to prevent occurrence of unnecessary incidents.
The group of protesters threw stones and sticks at the officials and the Sayadaws. However, the officials did not react and continued to walk after them.
The group left Minbagyi Street in procession and arrived at Pyidaungsu Street at about 3.10 pm. Then, the Secretary of Rakhine State Peace and Development Council, the commander of Rakhine State Police Force, the Deputy Commander of MPF Battalions Control Command, the chairman of Sittway District PDC and Sayadaws gently persuaded the demonstrators to disperse.
Then, some protesters including six monks holding sticks and swords hit the officials with their weapons. Due to the attacks, the secretary of Rakhine State PDC was hit three times, Branch Clerk U Hla Maung Tha of the Township PDC office was injured in his forehead. While trying to control the violent acts, the officials managed to capture one of the protesters. U Hla Maung Tha was sent to the hospital and his injury was sutured seven stitches.
Then, the protesters became violent. So in order to control the situation, the officials threw a tear-gas bomb into the group and opened fire in the air to threaten them. So, the group dispersed at about 3.30 pm.
Again at about 4.30 pm the same day, 50 monks staged a protest walk in procession, and then about 100 other people joined them. The group arrived at the office of Rakhine State PDC on May Yu Street. Then, the protesters forcibly opened the door, shouting and demanding the release of the person being arrested.
Some protesters climbed over the concrete wall, catapulting and throwing stones at the officials. Although the officials dissuaded the protesters to stop the use of such violence against them, they did not obey and the situation was going from bad to worse to such an extent that they forced their way into the office. And officials had to use tear gas and fired three shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
The crowd dispersed at 4.50 pm. In the incident, nine policemen were injured. As officials handled the situation with care no monk or no person involved in the incident was injured or arrested.
Similarly, beginning 12 noon today, some 100 Buddhist monks marched along the route from Theinbyu Road in Botahtaung Township to Shwedagon Pagoda, to Sule Pagoda and then to Botahtaung Pagoda. However, the monks dispersed due to the request of Sayadaws of various Sangha Ganas including Sayadaws of Yangon Division and Township Sangha Nayaka Committees. Some other towns also saw the protest walks staged by some Buddhist monks.
The public are concerned that there might occur terrorist acts and instability of the State as they have witnessed the instigation of internal and external destructive elements and attempts of some unscrupulous persons under the guise of monks. The people are opposed to any attempt to destroy peace and stability and they are also concerned that if there is instability of the State, their livelihood and social affairs might be affected. Similarly, business people, traders and shopkeepers are worried that there might be terrorism and instability and their business might be affected. Therefore, the public wish the Sayadaws to give Ovada to the members of the Sangha to follow the Vinaya rules in the interest of the people.
Likewise, senior monks and the majority of the members of the Sangha are opposed to such protest walks and violence and they would like to live with peace of mind in accord with the Viniya rules and they are trying to make sure that similar incidents do not happen again in their respective monasteries.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
For regular updates:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Huge Crowds Turn Out to Hear Monks Condemn Junta
By Shah Paung
September 19, 2007
About than 1,000 monks marched to Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon on Wednesday where they gave political speeches to thousands of people crowded into the pagoda area, according to eyewitnesses.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8666-Monks19.gif
[Photo: The Irrawaddy - Crowds turning out to support monks at Rangoon’s Sule Pagoda.]
“We are marching for the relief of poverty and hardships of the people," said a monk in his afternoon speech. "Burma is backward in every aspect. The military regime is responsible for all of that.”
“Even if our protesting monks are arrested, we will continue,” the monk said. Several monks made speeches during the second day of the monks' demonstration at the pagoda.
Observers said the crowd may have been as large as 10,000 people. Monks were offered water and cold drinks. The demonstration ended peacefully about 4:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the military regime admitted on Wednesday in The New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper that authorities used tear gas to break up a demonstration in Sittwe in Arakan State because, the story claimed, monks and protesters attacked authorities.
The newspaper reported that protesters threw stones and sticks at officials, but the officials did not react. Later, officials “gently persuaded” demonstrators to disperse, according to the official account.
The newspaper said “some protesters, including six monks holding sticks and swords, hit the officials with their weapons.”
Some officials were injured, the paper said, and to control the situation, officials threw a tear gas canister into the demonstrators and fired more than ten shots into to air.
However, an abbot at Myoma Monastery in Sittwe told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that the protesting monks marched with empty hands and did not carry weapons.
Witnesses in Sittwe said that they did not see any monks attack authorities. Four monks were detained for a few hours.
On Wednesday, about 800 monks in Sittwe staged a peaceful follow-up demonstration by marching to a local police station where they sat down and called for the release of three citizens who were arrested on August 28 for providing drinking water to monks who were demonstrating over the hike in fuel prices.
In other areas, monks in townships and cities including Pegu Division and Mandalay Division conducted peaceful demonstrations on Wednesday while reciting the “Metta Sutta” (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness), according to monks and local residents.
On Tuesday, monks enacted a “patam nikkujjana kamma,” a refusal to accept alms from the military regime and its supporters. The ban came after a call by The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks for the regime to issue an apology by September 17 for its violent crackdown on monks in Pakokku in Magwe Division on September 5.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8666
Burmese monks challenge junta
Rangoon (dpa) - Members of Burma's opposition party cheered when hundreds of defiant monks marched past their headquarters Thursday on the third day of the monks' anti-military protests in the former capital, said witnesses.
Diplomats said that by walking by the headquarters of opposition heroine Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon the marchers had raised the protests to a new level.
The National League for Democracy won 1990 elections by a landslide, but the result was ignored by the military. Aung San Suu Kyi currently is held under house arrest in Rangoon. The 500 or so monks went on to enter the Shwedagon Pagoda, which towers above the city, before parading downtown, where they dispersed at 4 pm.
A second march numbering some 400 monks proceeded towards the Shwedagon from a different direction and also ended downtown. Hundreds of ordinary citizens followed the processions of red-robed young men who are highly revered in this strongly Buddhist country.
A loose organization of monks has stepped up dignified protests this week after failing to extract an apology from the regime for its rough handling of a procession of monks in the north earlier this month.
More groups of monks were reported to have marched in the northern city of Mandalay in another show of open dissatisfaction with the military that has ruled since it seized power in 1962.
Hundreds of people are reported to have followed both lines of monks in the Rangoon marches, which in itself is a form of defiance in a country where the authorities have scant tolerance of dissent.
The highly unusual protests against economic hardship and inflation started when a few individuals staged protests some seven months ago.
The monkhood has now taken on the job of confronting the regime after the junta sharply lifted energy and transport prices a month ago without warning, causing deep problems for ordinary people who already struggle to survive.
As in Thailand, monks are revered in Burma, which makes it tricky for the authorities to crack down on them. Yet they have also traditionally been in the vanguard of moves against authoritarian governments, be they colonial or military.
Many of Burma's monks are young, feisty men with the guts to confront armed soldiers, strengthened by the knowledge that they are admired in the country for their moral toughness.
The protest marches have broken out in several locations this month, making it harder for the authorities to crack down. The monks have also driven home their displeasure with the regime by refusing to accepted alms from soldiers.
The regime attempted this week to paint the marching monks as deviants or fakes in stories in the state-controlled newspapers. Foreign and exiled observers are divided over whether these robed protestors will trigger the wider nationwide demonstrations that threatened to bring down the regime in 1988.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121871
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8681
Mass Uprising to Follow Unless Regime Enters Dialogue: Veteran Politicians
By Saw Yan Naing
September 20, 2007
A nationwide uprising could soon follow the ongoing protests if Burma’s military government does not engage in dialogue, veteran politicians and observers say.
Monks marching while their supporters follow in Rangoon
Thakin Chan Tun, a veteran Burmese politician told The Irrawaddy on Thursday that as the current situation is a concern throughout the country, more people will join the protests in the near future and it will probably lead to a nationwide uprising.
“So, unless the government wants to see a mass uprising, I want to urge them [the Burmese government] to enter into dialogue in order to solve the crisis in the country,” said the former Burmese ambassador to China.
He criticized the junta for the violent manner in which it cracked down on the demonstrators who were protesting peacefully in Sittwe, Arakan State, by hiring volunteers to beat them up and for using tear gas. “It was a very unscrupulous incident. It isn’t good if the country is always ruled by a government like this,” said Thakin Chan Tun.
Aye Thar Aung, secretary of the Arakan League for Democracy said, “We can’t say it [the protest] is small scale. If the government doesn’t accede to what the monks have requested and they break up the protests violently, a mass uprising will probably occur.”
However, he added that he didn’t see any sign that the military government would apologize to the monks and that the regime would probably intervene violently if the current situation continued.
Police and military-backed thugs struck monks with rifle butts and fired weapons into the air to disperse a demonstration in Pakokku Township in central Burma on September 5.
The general public should participate in the current protests by demanding their rights and their freedom, said Aye Thar Aung.
The chairman of Zomi National Congress, Cin Shing Htan, who is also a member of the Committee Representing the People's Parliament, said “The situation in the country is nearly at boiling point. So, why hasn’t the United Nations Security Council taken action?”
He said that the regime shouldn’t ignore what protesters are currently asking for and should negotiate peacefully.
Cin Shing Htan also urged the Burmese regime to immediately release all political prisoners, including pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi and the 88-Generation Student leaders who were arrested for organizing the protests against increased fuel prices last month.
Protest update:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
US turns to China to influence Myanmar
By Drew Thompson
Read the article at the site:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/II21Ad01.html
Drew Thompson is the director of China studies and Starr senior fellow at the Nixon Center in Washington, DC. He was formerly the national director of the China-MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) HIV/AIDS partnership in Beijing and the assistant director of the Freeman chair in China studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
(This article first appeared in The Jamestown Foundation.)
This sort of article about NLD members resigning en masse is a daily occurance, and has been for months. No doubt these resignations have been exacted under extreme pressure and threats from the USDA and its Swanarshin thugs, but one wonders if the NLD has instructed its members to resign as soon as they come under this kind of pressure, on the grounds that it might be better for them to lie dormant and relatively safe until push comes to shove:
New Light of Myanmar
NLD (HQ) has no specific political programme. 17 members quit Sagaing Township NLD
Yangon, 19 Sept � Members of Sagaing Township National League for Democracy of Sagaing Division � U Set Maung, U Tin Thaung, U Thein, U Kyi Maung and U Kaw of Byetayaw Village, U Hsaung Oo, U Win Ko, U Kyaw Min, U Tun Tun Oo, U Win Naung, U Kyar Baw, U Thein Kyaw and U Thant Zin of Mingun Village, Daw Nwe of Tagaung Ward, U Tin Myint and U Mu of Nyaunggon Village and U Htay Thein of Hsinmye Village sent resignation letters to the NLD (Headquarters) and local authorities of their own accord on 5 September.
In the resignation letter sent to Sagaing Division Multi-party Democracy General Election Subcommission, they said that NLD (HQ) has no exact political programme. Leaders of the party are disunited, concentrating on seizing to the power. That is why they resigned from the NLD of their own volition.
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
And perhaps there is genuine disaffection with the lack of progress made by the NLD, with the disaffected seeing an opportunity to resign and regroup.
http://ratchasima.net
Commentary: The anatomy of thuggery
HONG KONG, Sep. 20
AWZAR THI
Column: Rule of Lords
When a group of Buddhist monks in Pakkoku, upper Burma, a fortnight ago joined public protests against drastic increases in nationwide fuel prices, they were met with shocking violence. At least three suffered injuries; one is rumored to have died.
Afterwards, some decided to go after the ringleaders of the gang responsible for the assault. They knew exactly which shops and houses to visit. There was no secret about who was involved. Like everywhere else in the country, the gang leaders are locally known and established.
Want to get a gang together on short notice in downtown Rangoon? Just call up the nearest township leader. Where? Let's say Bahan. There it's U Min Htun, a 45-year-old trader residing in 38th Street. Or try his deputy, U Naing Tint Khaing, who can be reached at his office. How about Mayangone? Ironically, the person in charge there, U Soe Aung, is a law student. Need someone in Hlaing? Kyauktada? Sanchaung? No problem: names, phone numbers and other details are all available on lists that have been compiled and kept by township councils, with orders and training from above.
But while the identities of the people managing and deploying the thugs that have for the last month been photographed and videotaped beating people to the ground before dragging them to waiting Dyna light trucks are not a mystery to anyone in Burma, among foreign correspondents and others abroad there remains some misunderstanding.
The gangs have been variously described as pro-government groups, militias, and paramilitaries. All of these names wrongly attribute some autonomy to the persons both directing and joining them. They are not in any way self-organizing. Rather, they are part of a comprehensive survival strategy devised by the military regime, one that is at least for now putting uniformed soldiers at the rear, rather than frontline, of defense.
The authorities in Burma have been experimenting with mob violence for some time. In 1994 the supreme commander, Senior General Than Shwe, admitted that his government had set up the Union Solidarity and Development Association (http://www.usda.org.mm/eng/index.php)[USDA] the year before with a view to preventing popular uprisings of the sort that occurred in 1988. The army has been training the group's members since at least 1996, when thugs first emerged to assail a motorcade of political party leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, smashing car windows and waving iron rods under the watch of police and soldiers.
In 2003, around 5,000 men attacked another convoy carrying the Nobel peace prize laureate at Depayin, in upper Burma, killing at least four persons and injuring dozens. The regime described the violence as a fracas between two groups of civilians, and blamed the latter.
In the months leading up to this August, the gangs took on more explicit and regular duties, breaking up small protests against rising commodity prices, illegally detaining participants, and harassing and assaulting persons holding prayer vigils. They even protested outside Western embassies to show that they "had lost patience with alien instigation." In each case the state media disingenuously referred to them as "concerned members of the public."
The thugs have also been given a name, "swan-ar-shin." Loosely translating as "masters of force," it carries the same fascist overtones as the titles of other organized attack squads throughout world history: from the Nazi storm troopers of Kristallnacht, to the Interhamwe in Rwanda, and the Red Gaurs and other army-sponsored vigilantes that slaughtered hundreds on Oct. 6, 1976 at the heart of Bangkok.
When officials use proxies to remove themselves from direct responsibility for the harassment and butchery of their own people, they touch off profound and lasting effects.
The hundreds of thousands of lives lost during the 1965-66 mass killings in Indonesia weigh heavily upon its society today. The notion of the state as monopolizing legitimate violence was lost from that time onward, as the New Order administration routinely co-opted civilian groups to serve its political and military objectives.
When it collapsed, the army continued to use them for its dirty work, but with less control over their behavior. They have since proliferated with or without its endorsement: the product of four decades' unrelenting bloodshed and impunity.
In the northern Indian state of Gujarat, the government oversaw a February 2002 pogrom against the Muslim minority. Carefully designed and instigated, it obliged the involvement or at least tacit approval of bureaucrats, police, firemen, doctors and lawyers, among others. Hundreds were publicly tortured and killed; thousands were wounded and raped; tens of thousands were forcibly displaced. The chief minister who presided over the savagery held a self-congratulatory parade across the worst-affected areas: he was promptly reelected; India went into denial.
Years of arbitrary violence and uncertainty in Burma have already deeply scarred millions. "The vulnerability produced by a breakdown in institutional integrity has become routine," anthropologist Monique Skidmore has written. "Just another exigency of everyday life."
Insecurity in turn generates mistrust, not only of institutions but of others. It pervades the most mundane exchanges, and slowly eats at the decency and simple humanity that people ordinarily bring to their day-to-day affairs.
Whatever else happens, the psychological damage caused by the calling of thugs onto Burma's streets in the place of men in uniform will only compound the malaise already deeply felt throughout the entire country. The very least that everyone else must do -- especially those interpreting and reporting the details of these events to the world -- is understand properly what is happening and call the gangs for what they are, rather than how the military regime might have others see them. The monks at Pakkoku had no illusions about who was responsible for the attack on their counterparts; nor should anyone else.
--
(Awzar Thi is the pen name of a member of the Asian Human Rights Commission with over 15 years of experience as an advocate of human rights and the rule of law in Thailand and Burma. His Rule of Lords blog can be read at http://ratchasima.net)
Article extract only here. Follow link for full article:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/II21Ae01.html
Sep 21, 2007
ASIA HAND
Burning down Myanmar's Internet firewall
By Shawn W Crispin
YANGON - Myanmar maintains some of the world's most restrictive Internet controls, including government-administered blocks on foreign news sites and the use of popular e-mail services. But when politically sensitive fuel-price protests broke out last month in the old capital city Yangon, government censors proved powerless to stop the outflow of information and images over the Internet to the outside world.
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) authorities have increased their efforts to curb local and foreign media coverage of the protests and their heavy-handed response against demonstrators. Pro-government thugs have been deployed to harass and intimidate local journalists and camera-carriers, some of whom have had their mobile-phone services cut.
..........
Yet the comprehensive news coverage that has leaked out of Myanmar represents an important victory for the global forces fighting to keep the Internet free from government censorship. And when the dust finally clears on Myanmar's popular protests, depending on the eventual outcome, the information-driven movement could one day be known as Myanmar's Glite revolution.
Shawn W Crispin is Asia Times Online's Southeast Asia Editor. He may be reached at swcrispin@atimes.com.
jpatokal
21-09-07, 01:35 PM
Offtopic, but...
...Red Gaurs and other army-sponsored vigilantes that slaughtered hundreds on Oct. 6, 1976 at the heart of Bangkok.
Red Gaur as in Krating Daeng? :eek: What's the connection, if any, to the energy drink?
Offtopic, but...
Red Gaur as in Krating Daeng? :eek: What's the connection, if any, to the energy drink?
I've often wondered about that too:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=17238#post17238
Burma situation endangers Southeast Asia, US says
New York - The United States said Thursday that the situation in Burma is endangering the security of Southeast Asia and urged the involvement of the United Nations Security Council to resolve the crisis there peacefully.
The 15-nation council met to discuss the latest developments in Burma, where hundreds of Buddhist monks took to the streets to protest the military regime's clampdown on democracy and human rights.
"We are concerned about the situation because of its impact on the region and we urge the UN special envoy to visit Burma as soon as possible," US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters.
"The situation poses a threat to security in the region and the Security Council should become engaged," he said.
The US had tried in the past to have the council address the situation in Burma, but its efforts were blocked by China, which said Yangon has to deal with its internal problems.
UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has planned to visit Yangon in mid-October, but the date had not been confirmed. The visit has to be accepted by the country's military government.
Gambari told the council of his recent visits to several Asian capitals and said talks were still underway to finalize the date for his visit to Yangon.
"Undoubtedly, the developments over the last few weeks in Burma have raised serious concerns in the international community and once again underscore the urgency to step up our efforts to find solutions to the challenges facing the country," Gambari said.
He said the UN is concerned by the arrests of protesters and conditions in detention centres where hunger strike has been reported. He called on Yangon regime to release the detainees and political prisoners.
Popular unrest in Rangoon has spread, involving monks who defiantly marched for the third day in support of Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the opposition National League for Democracy, who has been under house arrest for more than 10 years since her party won presidential elections. She is also a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for fighting for democracy in Burma , the former Burma.//dpa
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/21/regional/regional_30049825.php
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8695-onlinecart168.gif
[Cartoon: The Irrawaddy - Tsunami warning for the generals]
Protests by monks are continuing in Myanmar. Update with pictures:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Lower Ranks Must Split from Military Brass: Veteran Commander
By Saw Yan Naing
September 21, 2007
The lower ranks of military units must defy the senior leaders who are clinging to power during the current unrest, urged former commander, Brig-Gen Kyaw Zaw, in a statement received by The Irrawaddy on Friday.
Former Brig-Gen Kyaw Zaw, 86, was one of the founders of the Tatmadaw (Burmese armed forces) and one of only two surviving members of the legendary Thirty Comrades, who formed the Burma Independence Army to fight British colonial rule in the 1940s.
Development and peace would not prevail in Burma as long as the country was ruled by a military government, Kyaw Zaw said in the statement, adding that the lives of ordinary civilians in the country would deteriorate in the near future if action was not taken.
Protests against a sharp hike in fuel prices in Burma began on August 19, initially organized by the 88-Generation Students and later followed up with Buddhist monks demonstrating around the country.
Meanwhile, veteran Burmese politicians and observers have stated that unless Burma’s military government engage in dialogue to find a solution to the current unrest, a nationwide uprising could soon follow.
Kyaw Zaw also urged lower ranking military leaders to join hands and negotiate with the leadership of the National League for Democracy to oppose Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the high-ranking officers.
He said that as the liberation and wealth of the lower military class was connected to the people in Burma, they (the lower military class) should join forces with the public to topple the junta.
Kyaw Zaw was a staunch nationalist and left-leaning commander who joined the Communist Party of Burma in 1944, and remained with the communists even when they were pushed back to the China-Burma border in 1976.
When the CPB faced a serious mutiny in 1989, its top leaders, including Kyaw Zaw, were forced to quit. Kyaw Zaw has since accepted political asylum in China.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8696
See also cartoon in previous post:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/cartoon.php?cat_id=9
Protests by monks are continuing in Myanmar. Update with pictures:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Monks Issue Call for Public to Join Demonstrations
By Violet Cho
September 21, 2007
Burmese Buddhist monks called on students and civilians to join hands with them in public protests against the military regime which has ruled the country for almost 20 years.
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8700-Monks6.gif
[Photo: The Irrawaddy - Crowds support monks in rain in Rangoon.]
The Federation of All Burma Young Monks Unions issued a statement on Thursday saying, “It is time for the Burmese people to work with monks and courageously demonstrate their genuine aspirations.”
This was the first official call by protesting monks for the public to take part in their demonstration marches which have spread across the country during the past week. Previously, the monks asked the public not to join their protests.
Students should lift their own "fighting peacock flag," a symbol of struggle against the military regime, in the demonstrations, the statement said.
An 88 Generation Students group leader, Tun Myint Aung, told The Irrawaddy on Friday: “We strongly welcome this statement by the monks because it's a very good approach calling on everyone from different parts of society to join hands and work for the liberation of the people.”
If students and monks take the lead, together with masses of civilians, the people can effectively express their feelings and desires, he said.
A leading Burmese poet, Aung Way, said the artist community should also join in solidarity with the monks and people.
“It's time for all Burmese artists and poets to join together with the monks who have taken the lead in the protests against the regime," Aung Way said.
The statement also called on monks throughout Burma to rally together in unity and to expand the protests throughout the country.
...........
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?cat_id=2
Monks brave torrential rains to march against Burmese junta
Rangoon - Hundreds of Buddhist monks on Friday braved torrential rains and a possible crackdown to stage a protest march in Yangon against Burma's ruling regime for the fourth consecutive day.
About 500 monks marched barefoot from various townships to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the cultural and spiritual heart of Rangoon, where they congregated after noon in the pouring rain to chant prayers in a passive protest against the country's military junta.
Monks have been marching against the regime in Rangoon since Tuesday and have thus far avoided reprisals. Friday's march attracted fewer laymen because of the heavy downpour, witnesses said.
...........
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/21/regional/regional_30049825.php
Interesting Asian Sentinel article on the monks' protests:
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=717&Itemid=31
The New Light of Myanmar (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html) doesn't report the protests as such - it just alludes to them in passing during each one of its turgid rants.
The Myanmar Times (http://www.mmtimes.com/no384/index.htm) ["Tomorrow's Newspaper Today - Myanmar's 1st International Weekly"] has more of a 'soft furnishings' approach to the crisis. Indeed, this is about as close as ever it gets to admitting there is a crisis at all:
Socialite had a week full of exciting parties and events to keep her busy, busy, busy!
First up was the Saudi Arabia National Day celebration at Sedona Hotel on Wednesday night. Socialite enjoyed the mouthwatering Middle Eastern treats and could hardly stop herself from eating her way through the night.
Thursday was another diplomatic soiree, this time with Socialite’s good friends from the Pakistan Embassy for their Armed Forces Day bash at Traders Hotel. Having a great ol’ time rubbing shoulders with Yangon’s diplomatic elite, Socialite chatted with friends, while waiting in line for the buffet table.
Socialite then had to dash off to the fresher welcome ceremony for their new management students at Hlaing campus of the Institute of Economics.
Not wanting to burn the candle at both ends, Socialite took off a little early to get a good night’s sleep, something she hasn’t had for a long, long time.
An early start on Friday morning had Socialite gulping down a double espresso on her way out the door as she dashed over to Myanmar Info Tech to check out the latest mobile phones at the Mobile Mate product launch. Although not much of a techie, Socialite has always loved talking on the phone and in keeping with her opulent lifestyle the latest, hottest design on the market is just what she needed.
The early start was too much for Socialite and she spent the rest of the day chilling out with friends and doing the odd bit of work before hitting the clubs in her usual Friday night style.
Saturday morning’s 9am start was too much for Socialite as she groggily dragged herself down to Dagon, where Man Only Jeans Collection was holding their grand opening. Socialite was eager to pick up some new jeans for the man in her life and had a great time checking out the latest designs on the market.
After such a taxing morning of getting up early and shopping, Socialite relaxed with a day of pampering at her local spa to prepare herself for the busy day ahead.
Sunday’s schedule was packed, with not a moment to spare, and Socialite put on her favourite, most comfy ballet flats ready to take on the day.
Strand Hotel was the most happening place that morning with the Do-Re-Mi Fun Fair 2007. Hundreds of adorable kids ran around performing for the crowd. They kept Socialite and all the other grown-ups enthralled and Socialite could hardly tear herself away.
Over at Parkroyal Yangon Socialite took in the TAFE NSW International Education Roadmap seminar over a cup of coffee and a few pastries before jetting off to another part of the hotel for the Pure & Mild new product launch. Socialite speedily perused the new range of skin products before having to take of and make her way to Sedona Hotel, where she met up with her close friends from The Rich Gems for their jewellery and fashion show. The ballroom was like another world and Socialite could feel the excitement rippling through the crowd as they waited for the models to step out dripping in jewels. An unbelievable night was had by all.
The article itself has a delightful slideshow of socialite's scintillating 'social' round:
http://www.mmtimes.com/no384/socialite.htm
Oh! And I suppose there is also this 'couldn't care a toss' response from the jade mining industry to 'slight' increases in their fuel costs:
Gem industry not fazed by increase in fuel costs
By Kyaw Thu
HEFTY fuel price rises last month will not dampen production of jade and gemstones in Myanmar, several gem industry sources said last week.
Producers will stomach the higher operating costs for pumps, drills and transport because they are pushing to maximise production during limited mining concessions, said U Hla Win, deputy general manager of Ruby Dragon Co., which operates several gem mines in upper Myanmar.
Once a mining company’s three-year contract to explore a block expires, the firm must reapply to continue work at the site. U Hla Win said this encouraged miners to push ahead with production regardless of increases in outlay, such as those related to the government’s move to raise fuel prices from August 15.
Petrol was increased from K1500 to K2500 per gallon and diesel doubled to K3000 per gallon.
“Miners produce aggressively in their given time, so I don’t think production is going to decrease,” U Hla Win said, adding that the uncertainty of acquiring exploration blocks forced miners to make the most of their opportunities.
However, the increase in production costs is likely to be passed on to buyers in the form of higher prices for jade and precious stones, he said.
U Aung Myint, co-owner of jade producer FU MAY Jade & Jewellery, said the increase in fuel prices did not mean the gem industry was heading for hard times because it would not be difficult to recoup expenses from merchants and end users.
“The price of jade is soaring so I don’t suppose miners will be cutting back on their investments due to the higher fuel costs,” he told The Myanmar Times.
U Aung Myint said greater cooperation among miners by forming joint ventures would be one way to effectively overcome higher operating costs.
http://www.mmtimes.com/no384/b003.htm
The Myanmar Times is the very same newspaper that inadvertently brought you the "Killer Than Shwe" ad a few months back:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2644
Extract from article only:
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39354
POLITICS-BURMA: Buddhist Clergy on Collision Course With Junta
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK, Sep 21 (IPS) - Burma’s Buddhist monks are threatening to turn an on-going protest against steep hikes in fuel prices into a religious and moral showdown with the country’s oppressive military regime.
..........
A statement issued on Sep. 18 by the monks captures the moral tone shaping the anger directed at the junta, which was responsible for attacking some 300 monks who took to the streets in early September in the central town of Pakokku to protest against the spike in oil prices. ‘’The violent, mean, cruel, ruthless, pitiless kings -- the great thieves who live by stealing from the national treasury -- have killed a monk at Pakokku, and also arrested reverend clergymen by trussing them up with rope. They beat and tortured, verbally abused and threatened them,’’ read the statement, which was circulated to the media by the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).
‘’The clergy boycotts the violent, mean, cruel, ruthless, pitiless kings ...The clergy hereby also refuses donations and preaching,’’ it added. ‘’If the reverends consent and are pleased at the boycott and refusal of donations and preaching, please stay silent; if not in consent and displeased, please voice objections.’’
‘’The junta has been forced on the defensive by these acts since the monks are presenting their protests as a religious boycott,’’ says Win Min, a Burmese academic attached to a university in northern Thailand. ‘’The monks are challenging the junta in areas where they have the moral authority. They have now become the leaders of the anti-junta movement on the streets.’’
The Burmese public is welcoming the young monks as the new heroes of the hour, he explained to IPS, since they have created a space that would have been immediately crushed had the demonstrators been lay people. ‘’The monks are seen as risking their lives on behalf of the people. They are standing up to the junta to save people from being arrested and tortured for protesting.’’
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It is also recommended you visit our subforum on Myanmar:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=58
No doubt some will wonder why The Nation advocates opposing an evil Junta in a neighboring country, and yet largely supports "an evil Junta" at home. Methinks they have some point!::D
Editorial: Overcoming the dictators
Published on September 22, 2007
Now is the time for Thais to support their Burmese neighbours who are fighting against a ruthless regime.
Discontent is brewing in Burma's commercial capital of Rangoon, and it could very well turn ugly. For the past four days, Buddhist monks have been carrying out public protests, slowly drawing the general public into the demonstrations against the military government. No one knows what the generals will do, but if the evidence of the country's recent bloody past is anything to go by, it is enough to instil fear into those around the world who care about the Burmese people's democratic aspirations. The junta has shown that it has no qualms about crushing dissent by any means necessary.
The military junta has insisted that it has no plan to call a state of emergency to quell the protests, which have posed the greatest challenge to the regime's iron-fisted rule for nearly two decades. Nevertheless, the events of the past four days - the most sustained show of dissent in 20 years - has given a new lease of life to pro-democracy groups in Burma.
Braving intense rain and fear of a violent crackdown, hundreds of monks continue to demonstrate their resentment of a regime that has been condemned day-in, day-out by the international community. Its repressive rule has held back Burma's economic and social development and condemned the resource-rich country to the unenviable status of one of Asia's poorest.
As a neighbour that shares a long border, and as a fellow member of Asean, it is in Thailand's national interest to keep a close watch on the latest developments in Burma. Thailand must also come up with a contingency plan on to what to do if worse comes to worst. While Thailand should pursue good relations with the de facto government in Burma - which is a pariah in the world community - we must avoid taking any action that might be construed as lending legitimacy to the military regime, or of condoning its systematic violation of the political and human rights of its citizens.
Thailand needs to maintain a humanitarian policy and be prepared for any eventuality. This includes the possibility of an influx of political refugees in the event of a brutal crackdown. This humanitarian policy should be based on the fact that the regime in Burma undergoes frequent upheaval, and that the Burmese people and their democratic aspirations will outlast the junta.
There are more than one million Burmese people employed in this country as guest workers. They take up jobs - at awful rates of pay - that are rejected by Thais. The Thai government and people must recognise and show appreciation for the indispensable and valuable service provided by the hard-working Burmese here.
Our attitude must change. There are too many hypocritical Thais who claim to support the Burmese people's democratic aspirations but who do nothing to show that they care for the welfare of Burmese people in Thailand. Many Burmese here are subjected to extreme exploitation by unscrupulous Thai employers.
On the diplomatic and security fronts, whether we like it or not, the two countries will eventually have to address sensitive issues that traditionally are off-limits to public discussion. Overlapping territorial claims, border clashes, cross-border intrusions and allegations of a proxy war being waged along the border will have to be tackled through diplomatic channels. The hope is that this will lead to high-level discussions.
It is not in Thailand's national interest to have a weak Burma as neighbour. Indeed, it is in our interest to see a strong, democratic Burma that will one day rejoin the international community.
It is hoped that the junta will see the light and look for a graceful exit, hand power back to the people and return to barracks. But we all know too well that this is wishful thinking - and it once again raises the question of how long the stand-off will go on. Something has got to give, even if it means violent confrontation.
Thailand was in a similar predicament three decades ago when democratic forces and a military dictatorship clashed violently. Let's hope that Burma can find a way to avoid further loss of life during the slow and painful transition from dictatorship to democracy. Thais, who once again are trying to rebuild their own democracy after a spell of military rule, must show solidarity with the people of Burma, who are struggling against a much more obstinate and brutal junta.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/22/opinion/opinion_30049856.php
Thousands of monks stage fifth day of anti-military protests
Yangon - About 3,000 Buddhist monks marched against Burma's military rule in Yangon Saturday, taking a step forward in a new passive protest movement that analysts say the reigning junta never anticipated.
About 2,000 monks from various townships in Yangon marched barefoot to the Shwedagon Pagoda where they congregated after noon Saturday, chanting Buddhist prayers in a passive show of defiance against Burma's junta, eyewitnesses said.
Another 1,000 monks marched to Kabaraye pagoda, in Mayangon township, a Yangon suburb. Monks have been marching against the regime in Yangon since Tuesday and have thus far avoided reprisals.
Thousands of laymen joined the marches, cheering the saffron and maroon-robed monks on in their fifth day of protest marches.
There were reports of similar marches in Mandalay, where more than 2,000 monks marched against the regime.
More mass prayers and marches are planned for Sunday.
The monks' protest movement appears to have caught Burma's military junta off guard.
"It may really do something," said one long-time Burma analyst. "What they never considered was the monk factor," said the western consultant, who asked to remain anonymous.
Burma's military has kept a tight lid on discontent for the past 19 years, cracking down on all shows of student-led protests and dissent from opposition politicians such as the Aung San Suu Kyi supporters.
The monkhood, which has been controlled by "government monks" in the past, may prove the unanticipated factor in the junta's power equation.
Thus far, only a fraction of Burma's 100,000-strong monkhood has joined the non-violent movement to protest the country's deteriorating economic conditions since mid-August when the government more than doubled fuel prices, exacerbating inflation which has been in the double-digit range for the past two years.
It remains unclear whether the Sangha, the senior monks who control the monkhood, are supporting the protests.
..........
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/22/regional/regional_30049910.php
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8703
Suu Kyi Greets Monks at Her Home; 10,000 Monks Demonstrate in Mandalay
By Kywa Zwa Moe
September 22, 2007
Detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, dressed in yellow, came out of her home, where she is under house arrest, to pay respect to protesting monks who marched in front of her home on Rangoon’s University Avenue on Saturday afternoon, witnesses said.
Monks and protesters in front of Suu Kyi’s house on Sept 22, 2007
The monks marched through a barricade on the street in front of Suu Kyi's home while chanting the "Metta Sutta" (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness).
Authorities in blue uniforms, wearing helmets, formed a line in front of Suu Kyi's property. They held grey protective shields in front of their bodies.
Monks, standing in the street, chanted the sutta. A line of citizens joined hands and formed a line behind the monks.
When Suu Kyi appeared at the edge of her property, shouts of "Be in good health" and "Be free very soon" filled the air over and over again, said an eyewitness. Many women had tears flowing down their cheeks. Eyewitnesses said Suu Kyi appeared pale.
Suu Kyi had a conversation with a monk, believed to be a leader, before returning to her home. What they discussed was not known. About two hundred monks and civilians were gathered in front of her house.
A witness said Suu Kyi probably came out of her home because she heard the monks chanting the "Metta Sutta" in the street.
A column of protesting monks marching so near Suu Kyi's lakeside home on Rangoon's University Avenue was seen as a powerful symbol of solidarity. Suu Kyi, a symbol of democracy, has been under house arrest for 11 of the past 17 years.
Also in Rangoon on Saturday, a source said about 1,000 monks marched peacefully from Shwedagon Pagoda to the Chinese Embassy in Dagon Township where they chanted the "Metta Sutta" (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness). The monks made no public speeches or statements at the embassy, but again, the gesture was seen as a powerful symbolic statement.
Burmese citizens see China as the military junta's strongest supporter. After a short time at the embassy, the monks continued their march through the city.
In Mandalay on Saturday, an estimated 10,000 monks threaded their way through the city in the largest anti-junta protest so far.
Mandalay, about 600 km north of Rangoon, is home to the largest number of monks in the country and has an estimated 200 monasteries.
Unlike in Rangoon, Mandalay citizens didn’t turn out in large numbers to support the monks, a resident said. He said monks told the people not to join the protest which ended peacefully around 11 p.m.
Five monks held three Buddhist religious flags and two alms bowls turned upside down (a symbol of an alms boycott), a witness in Mandalay said by telephone.
Saturday was the fifth day since the monks started their demonstrations on September 18, one day after a deadline for the military government to apologize for the authorities’ brutal crackdown on protesting monks in Pakokku in central Burma on September 5.
Outside of Rangoon and Mandalay, about 200 monks staged a peaceful demonstration in Sagaing in upper Burma on Saturday morning.
In Sittwe in Arakan State, officials and monks of the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, a government-organized monks’ organization, summoned about 50 abbots to a meeting without government authorities. One abbot who attended the meeting said monks of the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee requested the abbots not to continue protest demonstrations.
One abbot told The Irrawaddy by telephone that after the abbots rejected the request, the monks from the Sangha Maha Nayaka organization urged the abbots to hold peaceful protest demonstrations. The abbot said the gathered monks formed a committee to organize protests in the coming days.
On Thursday, The Federation of All Burma Young Monks Unions called on students and civilians to join hands with monks in public demonstrations against the military regime which has ruled the country for almost 20 years.
The group said in a statement, “It is time for the Burmese people to work with monks and courageously demonstrate their genuine aspirations.”
In the demonstrations, students should lift their own "fighting peacock flag," a symbol of struggle against the military regime, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the military government has increased security forces throughout the country.
For frequent updates:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
See also previous post. this picture was available yesterday, but it was so small that I didn't think Suu Kyi was in it. But in this larger version, you can just about make her out in the gateway. The Irrawaddy is saying there were 20,00 protestors (including monks) on Yangon's streets today:
http://irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8704-SuuKyi_house.gif
[Photo: The Irrawaddy - Suu Kyi paying respects to monks at her home.]
Monks stage 6th day of protest in Burma
Yangon (dpa) - Thousands of monks marched to Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda Sunday in their sixth day of peaceful protests against Burma's military regime, which has thus far refrained from cracking down on the saffron-robed rebellion.
Monks from various townships marched through the streets to congregate at the spiritual heart of Myanmar's old capital of Yangon, shortly after noon where they recited mantras.
It was not clear whether the monks would try to march past the Yangon compound of democracy heroine Aung San Suu Kyi on their return to their temples as they did on Saturday.
About 1,000 monks Saturday marched down University Avenue to gather outside the compound of Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since May, 2003, where they chanted Buddhist prayers to bless her.
Eyewitnesses said Suu Kyi, in a rare public appearance, repeatedly told the monks "sandu," or "well done," and shed tears of joy when they departed.
Observers have been mystified as to why the soldiers guarding the barriers on University Avenue allowed the monks to pass.
The Shwedagon Pagoda, the golden temple that towers over Yangon's skyline, is not only Burma's most sacred spot for Buddhists but is also closely identified with the anti-military protests of 1988, which were led by Suu Kyi, daughter of Burmese independence hero Aung San.
The monks' protest movement appears to have caught Burma's military junta off guard.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121943
Monks' protest swells
Rangoon - More than 10,000 Buddhist monks and laymen marched through the streets of Rangoon Sunday in the sixth day of peaceful protests against the Burmese military regime.
The dictatorship has thus far refrained from cracking down on the saffron-robed rebellion.
More than 2,000 monks from various townships marched to the Shwedagon Pagoda, where they congregated at noon to chant mantras, before moving on to the Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon and then heading towards Botahtaung Pagoda. The Shwedagon, Sule and Botahtaung are Rangoon's three holiest Buddhist temples.
The monks were joined by more than 10,000 laymen, making Sunday's protest march the largest anti-government gathering in more than a decade.
So far the monks, who started marching on Tuesday, have refrained from making any political statements, limiting themselves to chanted prayers.
But laymen protesters shouted anti-government slogans, but restricting themselves to economic complaints.
"Lower commodity prices, that is our cause," was one popular chant. Burma's military rulers last month unleashed pent-up frustration with the deteriorating economy when they more than doubled fuel prices on August 15.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121953
For further updates & photos:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
But it looks like that order might be resisted:
Monks ordered back to the temples
Rangoon - Burma's military-controlled Buddhist clergy, the Sangha Nayaka Committee, on Monday instructed all temples in Rangoon to send visiting monks back to their townships in an effort to put an end to the anti-government marches in the capital.
In a new form of public protest, thousands of Buddhist monks have been staging peaceful marches in Rangoon daily since last Tuesday. Many of the participating monks are from temples outside of Rangoon, visiting the former capital for religious studies during Buddhist lent.
The saffron-robed rebellion hit its highest point of the current campaign on Sunday, when more than 10,000 laymen joined approximately 3,000 marching monks and 300 nuns.
Many shouted political slogans for the first time, calling on the ruling regime to free opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
On Saturday an estimated 700 monks visited the Rangoon compound of Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since May 2003, prompting a rare public appearance by the Nobel peace laureate who is still seen as the heart and soul of Burma's pro-democracy movement.
More marches are planned on Monday, in open defiance of the Sangha Nayaka Committee, comprising so-called "government monks," sources said.
The organization behind the protesting monks has ordered monasteries in Rangoon to contribute monks to Monday's march.
A confrontation between the military and monks seems inevitable, western diplomats said.
"We expect some kind of a resolution in the next few days," said one western diplomat. "Either the protests go up or go down, but it can't go on like this."
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May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121976
But it looks like that order might be resisted:
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121976
Monks refuse to return to temples
Rangoon - Defying orders to return to their temples, an estimated 10,000 monks marched through the streets of Rangoon Monday in an ongoing show of non-violent rebellion against the country's military regime.
The monks first walked barefoot to the Shwedagon Pagoda, Burma's most famous Buddhist site, before dividing into smaller groups to march through the city, gathering laymen followers as they proceeded.
Up to 5,000 of the monks passed by the headquarters of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. NLD officers cheered the monks as they passed.
The road to Suu Kyi's house, where she has been kept under arrest since May, 2003, was heavily barricaded to prevent the monks from visiting her as they did on Saturday, eyewitnesses said.
It was the seventh straight day of Burma's maroon-robed rebellion which has thus far been without violence. But on Monday, there were signs that a clash was looming.
Laymen who joined the monks carrying placards with political slogans were roughed up by pro-government thugs and had their posters taken away, eyewitnesses said.
The monks marched in the streets Monday despite an order by the military-controlled Buddhist clergy, the Sangha Nayaka Committee, to city temples to send all visiting monks back to their provinces.
Many of the participating monks are from temples outside of Rangoon, visiting the former capital for religious studies during Buddhist lent.
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May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121976
The Nation say they have some exclusive pictures of the protests, although I can't get them to work in my browser. see how you get on:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/24/headlines/headlines_30050044.php
BURMA
Huge protest in Rangoon
Tens of thousands march in biggest demonstration since 1988 crackdown
Published on September 25, 2007
As many as 100,000 anti-government protesters led by a phalanx of Buddhist monks marched yesterday through Rangoon - the largest demonstration in Burma's biggest city since a 1988 pro-democracy uprising that was brutally crushed by the military.
Marching for more than five hours and over at least 20 kilometres, a last hard-core group of more than 1,000 monks and 400 sympathisers finished by walking up to an intersection where police blocked access to the street where democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under house arrest.
Making no effort to push past, the marchers chanted a Buddhist prayer with the words "May there be peace", and then dispersed. About 500 onlookers cheered their act of defiance, as 100 riot police with helmets and shields stared stonily ahead.
Some participants claimed there were several hundred thousand marchers in their ranks, but an international aid agency official with employees monitoring the crowd estimated the size was well over 50,000 and approaching 100,000. From the front of the march, witnesses could see a two-kilometre stretch of eight-lane road filled with people.
Washington has urged Burma's military rulers to show "restraint" in dealing with the mass protests and said it hoped for dialogue between the regime and the demonstrators.
Britain warned Burma against any violent crackdown on mass protests against the military regime, but said it welcomed the largely peaceful response so far.
Germany expressed its "sympathy" with peaceful demonstrations against Burma's military regime and demanded the release of protesters arrested during the marches.
The current protests began on August 19 as a movement against economic hardship, after the government sharply raised fuel prices. But they have their basis in long-standing dissatisfaction with the repressive military government.
After a week of marching by the monks, the protests have become explicitly political, though the clerics prefer to make their point indirectly through chants and prayers at key locations.
Members of the public who have joined them have taken up chanting the slogans of the pro-democracy movement: national reconciliation - meaning dialogue between the government and opposition parties - freedom for political prisoners, and pleas for adequate food, shelter and clothing.
Yesterday's march, launched from the Shwedagon Pagoda, the country's most sacred shrine, gathered participants as it wen-ded its way through Rangoon. Some 20,000 monks took the lead, with onlookers joining in. Students also took part, passing by the old campus of Rangoon University, a hotbed of protest in past times.
Saying prayers for peace, they also passed the offices of the Defence Ministry and the residence of Senior Gen Than Shwe, head of the ruling junta. Security forces were not in evidence for most of the march route, aside from the police and their vehicles near Suu Kyi's house.
In the central city of Mandalay, about 1,000 monks marched.
Diplomats and analysts said Burma's military rulers were showing unexpected restraint this time because of pressure from the country's key trading partner and diplomatic ally, China.
Agencies
RANGOON
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/25/headlines/headlines_30050139.php
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1094/1431726825_c6e8f569ab.jpg
Prachatai]
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Message to Saffron Revolution
24 September 2007
News
I extend my support and solidarity with the recent peaceful movement for democracy in Burma. I fully support their call for freedom and democracy and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements. Moreover, I wish to convey my sincere appreciation and admiration to the large number of fellow Buddhists monks for advocating democracy and freedom in Burma.
As a Buddhist monk, I am appealing to members of the military regime who believe in Buddhism to act in accordance with the sacred dharma in the spirit of compassion and non-violence.
I pray for the success of this peaceful movement and the early release of fellow Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
http://www.prachatai.com/english/news.php?id=224
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1129/1432602728_aded5d2c0d.jpg
http://www.asianewsnet.net/admin/doc_storage/photo_gallery/20070925/t_1632.jpg
[Photo: http://www.asianewsnet.net - More than 100,000 people flood the streets of Rangoon yesterday (Sept 24) in the strongest show of dissent against Burma’s ruling generals in nearly two decades. - The Nation]
Regular update, with a lot of pictures & comment:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma's military junta warns against more protests
Rangoon - Burma's junta warned its people on Tuesday not to join a swelling nationwide protests which were the largest gathering against the junta since 1988. The warning came a day after Buddhist monks led 100,000 people onto the streets of the country's biggest city.
State media ordered the monks to stay clear of politics, mirroring government threats of a crackdown carried on state television late Monday.
But more protests were still expected Tuesday, again led by the clergy whose revered status has made them rallying figures for public anger that erupted more than one month ago after a crippling hike in fuel prices.
"We warn the monks and the people not to participate in protest marches," local government officials shouted as they circled around the nation's commercial hub.
"We will take action under the existing law," they said.
The official New Light of Myanmar newspaper, a government mouthpiece, said that all clergy "are directed to avoid getting involved in party politics and instigation."
It is reported that the protests had taken place in seven of the 14 provinces, and accused foreign media of instigating the marches.
Monday's protests in Rangoon were the biggest public show of dissent here since student-led rallies in 1988 were brutally repressed. There were marches also in the central city of Mandalay, the oil town of Sittwe and elsewhere.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/25/regional/regional_30050180.php
It's impossible to give you all the links here, but I think you can get the gist of things just by looking at the headlines. The 'indignation' has obviously been generated by goading pro-government monks into action. I recommend you visit the site itself:
[More + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]:
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/images/banner.jpg
State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee has duty to
reinforce and observe basic principles and rules
and regulations and implement religious matters.
The directives state all the rules and regulations for the
monks prohibiting them from participating in secular affairs
YANGON, 24 Sept — The Directive (93) signed by Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Magway Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhi Dhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Bhaddanta Kumara and Secretary of the committee Nyaungdon Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Bhaddanta Osadhabhivamsa was issued today. The directive has called for the state/division/township/ward Sangha Nayaka Committees to supervise the Buddhist monks and novices so that they are to practise only Pariyatti and Patipatti, Following is the full text of the directive.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Sayadaws of monasteries are requested to give ovada
to their disciples to stay away from forming, joining or
supporting any illegal Sangha organization
YANGON, 24 Sept —The directives (81), (83), (85) and (65) issued by Chairman of the first State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Bago Myoma Sayadaw and Secretary Sayadaw Bhaddanta Vicittasarabhivamsa Tipitakadhara Dhamma Bandagarika Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru are as follows:
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
All members of the Sangha to strictly follow directives articulated in Directive Nos 81, 83, 85 and 65, not to commit any activities that are not related to Gantha Dhura and Vipassana Dhura Magway Sayadaw gives Ovada to members of the Sangha
Yangon, 24 Sept—The following is the full text of Ovada of Chairman of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Magway Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhammajotika Bhaddanta Kumara.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Root cause of problems is perpetration of internal and external destructionists, who are jealous of national development and stability
Some global powers in collusion with group of destructionists from inside the nation inciting disturbances
Yangon, 24 Sept— The following is the supplication on religious affairs made by Minister for Religious Affairs Brig-Gen Thura Myint Maung.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Failure to observe or obey any stipulations, rules and regulations and the Dhamma order to be met with action
YANGON, 24 Sept — A ceremony to supplicate on religious matters to the Chairman of State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee and eminent Sayadaws was held at the meeting hall of the committee in Kaba Aye here this evening.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Letter No:212/4/Sar-Mahana
Date:13 July 1991
Directive No (83)
Subject: The directive for members of the Sangha not to get involved in party politics.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Dated 8th Waxing of Tagu, 1357 ME
(26 March 1996)
Directive No 85
Subject: Action to be taken against members of the Sangha who commit acts that tarnish the prestige of the Sasana.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Directive No 65
Matters concerning members of the Sangha violating individually or in groups Vinaya rules and laws prescribed by the government (8, 8, 84) (12, 5, 46)
1. Regarding the matters concerning members of the Sangha who are violating individually or in groups Vinaya rules and laws prescribed by the government in Myanmar, the fifth session of the meeting of the State Central Working Committee of the Sangha held on 13th Waxing of Nayon 1346 Myanmar Era (11 June 1984) passed the following resolution.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
A letter of complaint from Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Agga Maha Pandita Bhaddanta Jotipala of Kyakhatwaing Monastery in Bago to Chairman of Bago Division Peace and Development Council Commander of Southern Command about damage of some buildings in Kyakhatwaing Monastery due to destruction of protesters comprising about 350 monks and 50 members of National League for Democracy Party - NLD.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Letters of complaint from In-charge Sayadaws of Kyakhatwaing Monastery in Bago to the Sayadaw of Kyakhatwaing Monastery about the damages caused by protesters of about 350 monks and 50 National League for Democracy Party-NLD members.
[more + (http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html)]
Monks fear crackdown
Rangoon - A military ban on the monk-led protests that have rocked the former capital of Burma for a week persuaded thousands of Buddhist clergy to remain in their temples Tuesday morning, but a hardcore group marched to the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda.
About 100 monks arrived at the famed pagoda about noon in open defiance of a government order Monday night to abide by Buddhist "rules and regulations."
The order, which was repeated by state media Tuesday morning, has signalled that the Burmese junta is ready to crack down on the monks' barefoot rebellion, which climaxed Monday with up to 100,000 marchers in Rangoon and other cities.
On Monday night, Brigadier-General Thura Myint Maung, the minister of religion, issued a televised warning to all monks to obey Buddhist rules that prohibit the clergy from engaging in political activities.
The military-controlled Buddhist clergy, the Sangha Nayaka Committee, met with abbots of Rangoon Buddhist temples Tuesday morning and instructed them to prevent all monks from marching and to send visiting student monks back to the provinces.
"They told us to prevent a repeat of 1988," said an abbot of a temple in Rangoon's Yankin township.
In 1988, Burma was rocked by nationwide demonstrations against the military regime's incompetent rule, which had dragged the country down from one of the wealthiest in Asia prior to World War II to an economic basket case by 1987.
Economic hardships are partly behind the recent protests.
Without warning or consultations, the government more than doubled fuel prices on August 15, exacerbating the plight of the impoverished Burmese people overnight. The country has been suffering from double-digit inflation since 2006.
"What right do the military have to tell us not to protest?" said the Yankin temple abbot. "The monks belong to the laymen, so if the (Burmese) people are poor, the monks are poor, too."
Anti-inflation protests first started in Rangoon on August 19, led by former student activists and opposition politicians. Earlier this month, the movement was taken up by the monkhood.
The nation's 400,000-strong monkhood has a long history of political activism in Burma, having played a pivotal role in the independence struggle against Great Britain in 1947 and the anti-military demonstrations of 1988, which ended in bloodshed.
Observers have been amazed that Burma's military rulers have waited so long to suppress the monks' rebellion and attribute it to the influence of China on the pariah state.
"I can see no other explantion for their restraint," one European diplomat said. "They've shot monks in the past."
China is one of the few countries allied with Burma's military junta, having used its veto to prevent the United Nations Security Council from further pressuring the regime last year. (dpa)
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122016
Contrary to early indications, it appears that monks have again come out on the streets to protest in large numbers today. And again they were joined by large numbers of the general public.
BBC World Service Radio has just announced that the Junta is in the process right now of issuing another ultimatum for the public not to join the protests.
The chances of a violent conflict have undoubtedly ratcheted as a result of today's ultimatums and defiances:
Monks defy military ban
Rangoon - Tens of thousands of monks on Tuesday defied a military ban and warnings of reprisals in sixth day of barefoot marches in the streets of Rangoon.
Troops involved in the 1988 massacre of pro-democracy protesters and anti-riot police moved into Rangoon, and a showdown appeared inevitable.
The monks' marches, defying the order of the Burmese clergy which is controlled by the military dictatorship, have rocked Rangoon for more than a week.
The monks, arriving in small groups in buses and cars, first congregated at the Shwedagon Pagoda before starting to march to Sule at 2pm where they flooded the traffic circle around the downtown pagoda, a flashpoint for past protests and crackdowns.
The demonstration, exceeding 50,000 monks and laymen, was in open defiance of a government order to end their daily marches that started a week ago Tuesday, and escalated Monday with up to 100,000 marchers in Rangoon and other cities.
On Monday night, Brigadier-General Thura Myint Maung, the minister of religion, issued a televised warning to all monks to obey Buddhist rules that prohibit the clergy from engaging in political activities.
Trucks with loudspeakers prowled Rangoon's downtown area Tuesday morning warning that anyone caught watching the marchers will be liable to three years in jail and anyone who participates in the marches faces 10 years imprisonment.
Some monks have tried to depoliticize their protest, carrying placards that read, "Loving Kindness Wins All," and "Untruth will be overcome by Truth," but many laymen joining the rally were less discrete.
"The people's desire must be fulfilled," was a common cry. On Tuesday, for the first time, some protestors unfurled the Fighting Peacock flag, a symbol associated with the 1988 uprising. Others carried pictures of Aung San, Burma's independence hero and the father of Aung San Suu Kyi, the nation's democracy heroine.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122016
BBC World Service Radio has just announced that the Junta is in the process right now of issuing another ultimatum for the public not to join the protests.
Awzar Thi's - Rule of Lords - photo page:
http://ratchasima.net/saffron-revolution/
Numerous reports, commentaries, photos and updates:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
We want reconciliation, not an overthrow: Burmese opposition
Published on September 26, 2007
The Burmese military junta faces the largest anti-government protests since 1988, with as many as 100,000 demonstrators led by Buddhist monks yesterday.
Many fear it's only a matter of time before the junta uses force.
Dr Sann Aung was elected to parliament in Burma in the 1990 elections. He is now living in exile in Thailand and is a minister in the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma.
He spoke with The Nation's Subhatra Bhumiprabhas and Pravit Rojanaphruk about the current situation in Burma. Excerpts:
Why has the Burmese junta not resorted to violence?
Today [Monday] there are heavy barricades erected. Up until now, about 220 people have been arrested [in the recent demonstrations over petrol price hikes]. We think they have rounded up about 10 monks. But more and more monks are coming out.
The regime's agents instigate people to violence, steal property and burn vehicles so the government can use anarchy as a pretext for a crackdown.
Do you see any sign the junta will step down?
It will continue its hard line. There's no sign of compromise. It's now preparing for a crackdown.
Why did the protests start now? Is it entirely over expensive fuel and gas?
There are many factors. Burma today is the least developed country in Asia in all rankings. In some indexes it is lower than Laos, Cambodia and Bangladesh. School enrolment is about 50 per cent. Also, infant and maternal mortality is the worst in Asia. In 2006, the military moved the capital. That cost it US$10 billion (Bt342 billion) and that caused inflation.
In March the same year, it increased military salaries tenfold. People became poorer and poorer and then it doubled the price of petrol, and gas by five times. This exacerbated social and political crisis. There's no way out.
An ordinary Burmese worker's daily wage is about Bt25. That's less than one dollar. And now a bus fare is Bt20 ... so many people cannot afford even the bus fare.
What will be the first thing you will do if the junta steps down?
We're not calling for the junta to step down. We don't want it to lose face. We want it to engage in dialogue and a political settlement with Aung San Suu Kyi.
What should Thailand do?
We're calling for the international community, including Thailand, to monitor the situation and send messages to the military regime not to use violence, and to intervene before this reaches boiling point.
The UN Security Council can pass a resolution and the special envoy can be dispatched and the High Commissioner for Human Rights can brief the Security Council.
Thailand, as a neighbour, can have more understanding. In Mae Sot, there's a crackdown. More people will flee from Burma and we don't want to see a crackdown in Thailand.
Thailand is nearest to Burma. Most refugees come to Thailand through Mae Sot. Thailand is the centre for the Burmese opposition, too. I would like to thank Thailand for its support.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/26/regional/regional_30050284.php
Burmese junta imposes curfew in Rangoon
Rangoon - Cracking its whip against a daily monks-led mass protests, the military government of Burma imposed a dusk-till-dawn curfew in its capital Rangoon Wednesday.
The junta will also restrict street protests in Rangoon and Mandalay for 60 days, beginning Wednesday, after declaring the two cities as "restricted zones," AHN online reported.
Armed soldiers and riot police are in the capital to enforce the 9pm-to-5am curfew and a ban on public assembly also announced on Tuesday through loudspeakers mounted on trucks.
At least 200 armed soldiers and riot police have been dispatched to the capital on Tuesday night, after thousands of Buddhist monks and civilian sympathizers ended a prayer and protest march in Rangoon's streets.
Thousands of monks have been staging daily street rallies since the past week defying an existing government ban on the assembly of groups of five people. The peaceful rallies are the biggest since the 1988 pro-democracy protests that was crushed by the military.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/26/regional/regional_30050299.php
Thailand calls for peace in Burma
NEW YORK--The Thai government eventually broke the silence over tense situation in neighboring Burma after over a month long protest against the military junta issuing a two-sentence statement to express concern.
"The Royal Thai Government is monitoring closely the situation in Myanmar. As a fellow ASEAN member country and a close neighbour of Myanmar (Burma), we sincerely hope that there will be peace and national reconciliation in Myanmar," said the statement posted at the foreign ministry's website on Tuesday evening.
In New York, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont who was in a mission for the United Nation General Assembly, told reporters Monday that he was not aware of situation in the neighboring country, Burma.
During the general discussion session at the UN assembly, US President George W Bush announced to impose more sanction against the Burmese junta. The US would impose economic sanction to leaders of the junta and their financial backers and would expand visa ban on people responding for human right violations as well as their family members and more economic sanction, he said.
The military regime has imposed " 19 year reign of fear" including persecution of ethnic minorities, child labor, human trafficking and the snuffing out of freedoms of speech, assembly and warship, Bush said.
Concerns were raised throughout the international community as some 100,000 people and Buddhist monks took street protest in former capital of Rangoon amid a threat from the junta of crackdown to the demonstration.
The protest in Burma began with angry of fuel price hike in August when some hundreds people launched a series of street protests before the monks came out.
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/26/regional/regional_30050296.php
See also two previous posts:
Burma orders curfew, moves up troops
(Agencies) - The Burmese junta has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the country's two main cities after pouring security forces into Rangoon to try to end the biggest protests against military rule in nearly 20 years.
Troops and police armed with rifles had surrounded the Sule Pagoda in Rangoon, the focus of two days of mass demonstrations led by thousands of maroon-robed monks.
In another possible sign of a looming clash, a well-placed source said detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi had been moved to the notorious Insein prison, a day after she appeared in front of her house to greet marching monks.
Loudspeaker announcements in the former capital, Rangoon, and the second city of Mandalay said the curfew would run from 9 pm to 5 pm local time, witnesses said.
The announcements also said both cities would be under direct control of the local military commander for 60 days.
Some analysts said the junta was caught off guard by the speed with which sporadic marches against a sharp hike in fuel prices in mid-August had mushroomed into mass demonstrations against 45 years of military rule in the country.
As the international community urged the generals to avoid a repeat of a bloody crackdown on protests in 1988 and the United States announced fresh sanctions against the junta, the UN human rights investigator for Burma said he feared "very severe repression."
"It is an emergency," said Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, singling out China as a regional power that would play a "positive role" to defuse the crisis and calling for "quiet diplomacy" by countries including the United States.
Security forces moved in on the Sule Pagoda after hours of peaceful protest by tens of thousands of people who turned up despite the junta's threat to use force.
The area around the pagoda, which includes City Hall, was the scene of the worst bloodshed during a crackdown on nationwide pro-democracy protests in 1988 in which 3,000 people are thought to have been killed.
The past few days have echoed with reminders of one of the darkest days of Burma's modern history. Vehicles with loudspeakers toured Rangoon, blaring threats of action under a law allowing troops to break up illegal protests. People came in huge numbers anyway and, in Taunggok, a coastal city 250 miles (400 km) to the northwest, witnesses said about 40,000 monks and civilians took to the streets.
Protesters were led in Rangoon by 10,000 monks chanting "democracy, democracy" and, in a gesture of defiance, some waved the bright red "fighting peacock" flag, emblem of the student unions that spearheaded the 1988 uprising.
The streets were lined with people clapping and cheering as the column of monks stretched several blocks on their march from the Shwedagon Pagoda, the nation's holiest shrine and symbolic heart of the campaign, to the Sule Pagoda.
British Ambassador Mark Canning told Reuters two of the junta's ministers had assured him the protests "would be dealt with in a 'correct' fashion, whatever that means."
But the chilling message behind the loudspeaker warnings was lost on nobody in Rangoon, a city of 5 million people, a week after monks started marching in protest against warning shots fired over the heads of fellow monks.
"I'm really worried about the possible outbreak of violence," one street vendor said. "We know from experience that these people never hesitate to do what they want."
Ethnic Karen rebels on the Thai border told Reuters that troops of the 22nd Division had been redeployed to Rangoon.
That division played a major role in the 1988 carnage and the report lent weight to threats issued by the religious affairs minister, Brigadier-General Thura Myint Maung.
State radio quoted him as saying action would be taken against senior monks if they did not control their subordinates in protests he said were fomented by political extremists.
..........
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122036
The marching monks appeared determined to take to the streets again Wednesday, despite signs that a confrontation is looming. As on past days, they are to first meet about noon at the Shwedagon Pagoda and then march on Sule Pagoda.
"Most monks will march," one Rangoon temple abbot told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "We are even ready to die."
Rangoon's barefoot rebellion that started September 18 drew up to 100,000 followers Monday and Tuesday, without reprisals from the regime.
Now, the signs are looming that the junta is ready to spill blood, as they did in September 1988 when the army unleashed its fury on pro-democracy mass demonstrations, killing up to 3,000 people including hundreds of protesting monks.
Around midnight, the government announced via public loudspeakers that a curfew had been imposed in the city from 9 pm to 5 am, until the situation returned to normal.
Rangoon General Hospital has been instructed to clear wards in preparation for an influx of patients, hospital sources said.
In 1988, Burma was rocked by nationwide rallies against the military regime's incompetent rule, which had dragged the country down from one of the wealthiest in Asia prior to World War II to an economic basket case by 1987.
Economic hardships are partly behind the latest protests.
Without warning or consultations, the government more than doubled fuel prices on August 15, exacerbating overnight the plight of impoverished Burmese. The country has suffered double-digit inflation since 2006.
Anti-inflation protests started building on August 19 in Rangoon, led by former student activists and opposition politicians. Earlier this month, the movement was taken up by the monks.
Burma's 400,000-member Buddhist monkhood has a long history of political activism in Burma, having played a pivotal role in the independence struggle against Great Britain in 1947 and the anti- military demonstrations of 1988, which ended in bloodshed.
Observers have been amazed that the Burmese military rulers have waited so long to suppress the monks' rebellion and attribute it to China's influence on the pariah state.
"I can see no other explantion for their restraint," one European diplomat said. "They've shot monks in the past." (dpa)
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122049
http://ratchasima.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/army-vehicle.JPG
[Picture: Rule of Lords - http://ratchasima.net/saffron-revolution/]
Myanmar curfew lifted
By News Desk
Asia News Network Publication Date: 26-09-2007
Myanmar's junta on Wednesday (Sept 26) lifted a night curfew that was imposed on the country's two main cities.
The junta tried to crack its whip against a daily monks-led mass protests when it imposed a dusk-till-dawn curfew in its capital Yangon Tuesday (Sept 25).
But the junta will still restrict street protests in Yangon and Mandalay for 60 days, beginning Wednesday, after declaring the two cities as "restricted zones".
The 9pm-to-5am curfew and a ban on public assembly were announced on Tuesday through loudspeakers mounted on trucks.
At least 200 armed soldiers and riot police have been dispatched to the capital on Tuesday (Sept 25) night, after thousands of Buddhist monks and civilian sympathisers ended a prayer and protest march in Yangon's streets.
Thousands of monks have been staging daily street rallies since the past week defying an existing government ban on the assembly of groups of five people. The peaceful rallies are the biggest since the 1988 pro-democracy protests that was crushed by the military. With reports from The Nation
Meanwhile, a prominent actor, Za Ga Na, who had joined the monks on Monday (Sept 24) in urging the public to support the anti-government protests, was arrested at his home in Yangon overnight, his relatives said, in a sign of a crackdown.
http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?aid=12468
Map from Awzar Thi's Rule of Lords blogsite:
http://ratchasima.net/
http://ratchasima.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/protests-map.JPG
[Map: Rule of Lords - http://ratchasima.net/saffron-revolution/]
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 26
Bahan, Rangoon; noon—Security forces at Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda struck out at demonstrators Wednesday noon, arresting about 50 protesting monks and attacking several hundred other monks and supporters. Tear gas was used to break up the demonstrations. Other protesters were gathering in another area of the Pagoda, according to eyewitnesses, who also saw a Western embassy car in the area.
Rangoon; around noon—Security authorities used tear gas and force to break up a peaceful demonstration by about 50 monks on Wednesday morning at Rangoon’s Shwedagon Pagoda. The monks were beaten and bundled into waiting army trucks. The whereabouts of the arrested monks is unknown.
Rangoon; noon—Soldiers with assault rifles have sealed off sacred Buddhist monasteries such as Shwedagon Pagoda and Sule Pagoda, as well as other flashpoints of anti-government protests.
Rangoon; Early morning—Burmese authorities have arrested several key players who have been supporting the peaceful demonstrations and offering alms to monks, according to sources in Rangoon. At 2 a.m. the authorities arrested Amyotheryei Win Naing, one of the leaders of the Rangoon-based National Politicians Group (Myanmar); and a popular Burmese comedian, Zarganar. Also, the well-known Burmese actor Kyaw Thu has gone into hiding as the authorities were seeking to arrest him. The military government ordered a curfew beginning Tuesday night and several soldiers have taken up positions in Rangoon, including the area around Sule Pagoda.
Mandalay; Early morning—Burmese authorities arrested at least four people on Tuesday night at 2 a.m., according to a Mandalay resident close to the National League for Democracy. Three were members of the NLD and the other was the well-known comedian Pa Pa Lay. Those arrested NLD members were: Tin Aung, elected representative (1990) for Northwest Township and Mandalay Division officer; Khin Maung Thaung, elected representative (1990) for Southwest Township; and Myo Naing, member of Mandalay Division. The four were arrested after leading a group of 17 NLD members in offering alms to monks. The authorities also searched the room of Kyaw Zwa Oo, a youth member of Mandalay NLD, and confiscated some documents. Soldiers have taken up positions at several locations around Mandalay and authorities enforced a curfew on Tuesday night.
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 25
Rangoon; 9:00 p.m.—Detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was moved to the notorious Insein prison from her Rangoon lakeside home at University Avenue, the Reuters news agency reported. Meanwhile Britain's ambassador Mark Canning said in an interview with Reuters that Burma's defense ministry appeared to be leading the government's response to the protests, spearheaded by young Buddhist monks. "They both assured me that it would be dealt with in a "correct" fashion, whatever that means," he said.
..........
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#26-05
Burma cracks down on protesters
Rangoon -- Police fired warning shots and tear gas, trying to disperse more than 1,000 protestors led by Buddhist monks as they tried to penetrate a barricade blocking the entrance of the Shwedagon Pagoda.
More than 100 demonstrators, including monks, were thrown into the back of police cars, news agencies reported.
Demonstrators were beaten with batons by police who, after nine days of keeping a close watch on the building up the demonstration, decided to take direct action to crush the nine-day of mall rallies that have shaken the country's military rulers.
Hundreds of riot police and soldiers blocked Buddhist monks from entering Rangoon's holiest pagoda, the Shwedagon, in a crackdown on a weeklong barefoot rebellion in Burma's former capital.
Police and soldiers manned barricades erected on the road to the east gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda, preventing marching monks from using the shrine as a launch pad for their ninth day of peaceful protests.
Similar shows of military might were visible elsewhere in the city.
At least 12 truckloads, each carrying about 40 police and soldiers, were dispatched Tuesday night to City Hall after tens of thousands of monks defied a government order to end their protest marches and return to their temples.
Dozens of military trucks and jeeps were seen parked outside the City Hall compound, but the troops were out of sight Wednesday morning. Police and military personnel were guarding the four gates of the Sule Pagoda, which sits in the centre of a traffic circle in front of City Hall.
The pagoda in the centre of downtown Yangon has been where the monks have congregated, joined by thousands of laymen, over the past four days in a show of defiance against Burma 's military junta.
The marching monks appeared determined to take to the streets again Wednesday despite signs that a confrontation is looming. As on past days, they were to first meet about noon at the Shwedagon Pagoda and then march on Sule Pagoda.
"Most monks will march," one Yangon temple abbot told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. "We are even ready to die."
Small groups of monks were seen heading for the Shwedagon, some carrying alms bowls and some without.
..........
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/26/regional/regional_30050318.php
Burma army starts killing
Rangoon - Police and soldiers at barricades beat monks and laymen back from the east gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda with batons and tear gas twice Wednesday afternoon, leaving at least five people dead, including monks, a former high-level government official said.
At least 30 monks and 50 civilians were beaten and then taken away in military vehicles to an unknown destination.
Police and soldiers manned barricades erected on the road to the east gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda, preventing marching monks from using the shrine as a launch pad for their ninth day of peaceful protests.
About 10,000 monks weaved their way through Rangoon's streets Wednesday afternoon, heading for the Sule Pagoda, where they were pushed back by more troops armed with shields and batons, witnesses said.
Soldiers stationed at City Hall, across from the Sule Pagoda, reportedly fired on the crowd at one point, claiming an unknown number of casualties.
A newly arrived tourist said shots rang out for about 30 seconds as a crowd of thousands of people, mostly laymen, moved toward a barricade about 100 metres from the roundabout where the pagoda stands.
Protestors ran in panic down side streets. Some fell and were trampled by those following them. Fear showed in their faces.
"I'm going home," one monk said.
The tourist said a 26-year-old student warned her: "You shouldn't go any farther. They are animals," referring to the soldiers.
............
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122049
Photographs of the aftermath of just one of today's protest crackdowns from the Democratic Voice of Burma website:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/headlines/headlines_30050363.php
http://www.dvb.no
Burmese troops kill 5
Published on September 27, 2007
Feared crackdown in Rangoon and Mandalay begins as monks, citizens continue to defy ban on protests
At least five people were reported killed and 100 injured yesterday as Burmese security forces clamped down on protests led by Buddhist monks, while the international community issued stern warnings that the junta would be held accountable for any bloodshed.
About 300 people were arrested, up to half of them monks, as soldiers and police cracked down on tens of thousands of protesters who swept across Burma's commercial hub Rangoon, according to witnesses and diplomats.
Burmese officials told Agence France-Presse that at least three monks were killed, including one who was shot as he tried to wrestle a gun away from a soldier. The two other monks were beaten to death. One layman was dead on arrival at Yangon General Hospital with gunshot wounds, a hospital source said.
Zin Linn, spokesman for the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, said about 30 rounds were fired over the heads of demonstrators gathered near the Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon.
Witnessed described two monks and a woman dying after being beaten with batons.
Another interesting development was the report of troops in Mandalay defying
an order to shoot over the demonstrators, Zin Linn said.
In one of the strongest statements, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the military government an "illegitimate and repressive regime" and hinted that the "age of impunity in neglecting and overriding human rights is over."
Grim warnings and harsh condemnation from the international community were churned out through the day, with US President George W Bush declaring stronger sanctions against the junta.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the UN Security Council would meet in New York today over the deteriorating situation.
Clashes between monk-led protestors and security forces erupted after authorities fired warning shots and tear gas into swollen crowds, while hauling away defiant monks into waiting trucks.
It was the first mass arrests since protests in this military dictatorship erupted last month.
The junta had banned all public gatherings of more than five people and imposed a nighttime curfew following eight days of anti-government marches led by monks across the country in the largest protests in nearly two decades.
As the ninth straight day of unrest began, about 10,000 monks and students along with members of Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party set off from Shwedagon to the Sule Pagoda in the heart of Rangoon, but were blocked by military trucks along the route.
Other phalanxes of marchers fanned out into downtown streets with armed security forces attempting to disperse them. There were reports of destruction of property but it was unclear whether this was carried out by the demonstrators or pro-junta thugs, who were seen among the troops and police. Witnesses said an angry mob at the pagoda burned two police motorcycles.
"It's scary here. They will kill us, monks and nuns. Maybe we should go back to normal life as before," said a young nun, her back pressed against the back of a building near the scenes of chaos. But a student at a roadside watching the arrival of the demonstrators said, "If they are brave, we must be brave. They risk their lives for us."
The two asked that their names not be used for fear of reprisals.
Other protesters carried flags emblazoned with the fighting peacock, a key symbol of the democracy movement in Burma.
A branch of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy exiled in Thailand said 300 people had been arrested in Rangoon, most of them in a western suburb. The number could not be independently confirmed.
Soldiers with assault rifles had earlier blocked all four major entrances to the soaring pagoda, one of the most sacred in Burma, and sealed other flash points of anti-government protests.
A comedian famed for his anti-government gibes became the first well-known activist rounded up following the protests.
Zarganar, who uses only one name, was taken from his home overnight by authorities. His family said yesterday they were told he had been "called in for temporary questioning".
Burmese leaders warned monks to stop the protests after some 100,000 people joined marches in Rangoon on Monday in the largest anti-government demonstrations since a 1988 pro-democracy uprising was violently suppressed.
The demonstrations started on August 19 after the government hiked fuel prices in one of Asia's poorest countries. But they are based in deep-rooted dissatisfaction with the repressive military rule that has gripped the country since 1962.
Associated Press reported out of Mandalay, Burma's second largest city, that more than 800 monks, nuns and laymen played a cat-and-mouse game with some 100 soldiers who tried to stop them marching from the Mahamuni Paya Pagoda, which they had tried to enter earlier.
"We are so afraid, the soldiers are ready to fire on civilians at any time," a man near the pagoda said, also asking that his name not be used for fear of reprisals.
Agencies, The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/headlines/headlines_30050419.php
BBC World Service Radio reports that monasteries in "Yangon and across the country" were raided in the early hours of this morning, in an attempt to fend off further protests. Residents living close to one monastery report hearing "shouting and screaming" from inside the monastery compound (1 am local time). It is unclear whether these raids involved arrests, but they do seem to have been involved considerable violence.
Photos and reports of yesterday's crackdown. The Irrawaddy has yet to post any reports on last night's raids, however. One imagines that fewer people are now willing to risk sending out reports and pictures:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
BBC World Service Radio reports that monasteries in "Yangon and across the country" were raided in the early hours of this morning, in an attempt to fend off further protests. Residents living close to one monastery report hearing "shouting and screaming" from inside the monastery compound (1 am local time). It is unclear whether these raids involved arrests, but they do seem to have been involved considerable violence.
Photos and reports of yesterday's crackdown. The Irrawaddy has yet to post any reports on last night's raids, however. One imagines that fewer people are now willing to risk sending out reports and pictures:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma military arrests monks in midnight raids
Yangon - Burma's military regime rounded up more than a hundred monks in raids of Yangon temples after midnight and stationed hundreds of troops at key sites in the former capital in preparation for more protests Thursday.
Informed sources said authorities raided several temples early Thursday morning and rounded up an unknown number of monks in an effort to prevent more protest marches on Thursday.
Barricades and troops were in place Thursday morning at key sites in Rangoon, including the Shwedagon and Sule pagodas and Bogyoke Street, the main rallying spots for the past nine days of monk-led protests in the city.
The military finally cracked down on the monks' barefoot rebellion on Wednesday, beating back monks and their laymen followers from the Shwedagon and Sule pagoda and firing warning shots at the crowds, numbering in the thousands.
The government has claimed that only one person died in the melee and two were injured. Other sources said as many as five died, including monks, and more than 100 were injured.
It was still unclear Thursday morning whether the monks would take to the streets for a tenth day. Past protests have started about noon, after the monks have taken food and started their midday fast.
There have been reports of similar monk-led protests taking place in other Burma cities such as Mandalay and Sittwe.
Burma's monks, said to number 400,000, have a long history of political activism. The monkhood played a pivotal role in Burma's independence struggle from Great Britain in 1947 and the anti-military demonstrations of 1988, that ended in bloodshed. (dpa)
Link may expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122082
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/index.html
New Light of Myanmar
Protesters throw stones at members of security forces and use catapults
Two senior police, six others wounded
One protester killed, three wounded
NAY PYI TAW, Sept 26 � At about 12.30 pm today, a group of demonstrators numbering about 10,000 including monks and people came to the traffic point at the corner of Sule Pagoda Road and Anawrahta Street. The group included so-called monks, so-called �88� new generation students, ABSDF member terrorists and NLD members. They shouted demands in a crescendo.
The security forces near the Sule Pagoda using loudspeakers persuaded the crowd not to move forward and to disperse peacefully. However, the crowd mobbed the security forces in crescendo throwing stones and sticks at them and using catapults. The members of the security forces moved back to the second line from the first. They again persuaded the crowd not to use violence against them and to disperse peacefully. But the protesters refused to obey their orders and raided the security forces at the second line for the second time throwing stones at them and using catapults. At the same time the mob took two motorcycles of the security forces and burnt down them. They tried to grab the arms of security forces. On account of the unavoidable circumstances, the members of the security forces fired some shots employing the least force to disperse the mob. The protesters dispersed due to the shots. Two motorbikes were destroyed and eight members of the police force including two senior officials were injured.
Among the protesters, an unidentified man, 30, was killed. Han Lin Tun, son of U Hla Tun of No 359, Anawma Street, Ward 93, Dagon Seikkan Township, was wounded in the right thigh. Win Htut, 27, son of U Tun Myint of No 201, Room 301, Pagoda Road, Kamayut, in the right hip and Phyu Phyu Win, 47, No 19, Kyaunglan Street, Shwepyitha in the left breast and in the left arm. They are being treated at Yangon General Hospital.
New Light of Myanmar
Some monks and people enter homes
Saboteurs threaten families demanding them to join protest if not provide cash, kind
Authorities urge people to make complaints in person or on line to Ward PDCs, Township PDCs or local
authorities against intimidations, extortions, coercion
NAY PYI TAW, 26 Sept � The government has been striving day and night together with the people for the emergence of a peaceful, modern and developed discipline-flourishing democratic nation.
As the government has been endeavouring to ensure stability of State, community peace, the rule of law and national development that are the main requirements, the national races in all regions are practically enjoying the fruits of national peace and development.
However, saboteurs from inside and outside the nation and some foreign radio stations, who are jealous of national peace and development, have been making instigative acts through lies to cause internal instability and civil commotion. Hence, some members of the Sangha, anti-government groups and saboteurs were staging protest walks.
Some foreign broadcasting stations and destructionists have been issuing announcements, requests and leaflets as if the entire people were taking part in the protests participated by only some monks and people just to intensify the rowdy demonstrations.
The people who wish to earn their living in peace do not accept or take part in the protests. Thus, some saboteurs of the protest walks forcibly urged families of the homes all along their route, whether they know them or not, to provide alms and other requisites for monks.
Those saboteurs told the families that if they failed to yield to their demand, the protesters would not take care of their personal and property safety. Moreover, they threatened the families demanding them to join the protest or provide financial assistance, adding, the protesters would not guarantee the security of the lives and property of the families. The saboteurs were acting like extortionists in a threatening way. Moreover, some protester monks entered homes and demanded families to offer soft drinks, urging families who could not join the strike to make donations for the convenience of administrative affairs. According to those families, they had never seen or known those so-called monks in the past and they were not their mentor monks.
Some families filed complaints about the threats to the authorities, saying that they had to pay the protesters from forty or fifty thousand kyats to one lakh as extortion money.
The authorities have informed the people to file complaints in person or on line to the respective Ward Peace and Development Councils, Township PDCs or local authorities against intimidations, extortions or acts to force them to join the protest against their wish. The authorities have also urged families to make complaints against extortionists by name if they know them well and to live with security awareness.
Just a thought here. It strikes me that these crimes could just as easily have been carried out by 'swanarshin'. In any case, the Junta has a long history of blaming its own failures on others, and the NLM is notorious for its lies.
More warning shots fired in Burma
(BangkokPost.com) – As the world community condemned the military crackdown on peaceful protests in Burma’s former capital Rangoon, more shots were reportedly fired into the air to stop a small number of protesters from marching through the eastern part of Rangoon.
Meanwhile, in the heart of Rangoon on roads leading to Sule Pagoda, hundreds of protesters consolidated to defy the armed police officers and soldiers who had been monitoring the situation.
According to witnesses, the demonstrators joined hands and shouted freedom slogans before singing the national anthem.
Plain-clothes police officers are said to be manning major destinations used as a base by the demonstrators over the past few days to disperse the crowds.
Following Wednesday’s military crackdown on tens of thousands of protesters and monks who marched on the streets in protest of the military junta which resulted in five unconfirmed deaths, the streets of Rangoon are said to be virtually empty today. To the horror and disgust of the world community, monks were reportedly beaten and arrested. It's believed that about 200 Buddhist monks were detained during raids on two monasteries in Rangoon.
Meanwhile, the military government has confirmed one death.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122087
Numerous reports & photos:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 27
South Okkalapa Township, Rangoon; Mid-afternoon—Authorities have given civilians surrounding at least one monastery in Rangoon a 10-minute warning to disperse or suffer "extreme action." The crowd, estimated at tens of thousands, is infuriated over a violent raid on at least three monasteries overnight, in which monks were beaten. One monk reportedly died following a violent overnight raid.
South Okkalapa Township, Rangoon; around 1 p.m.—Sources say members of the pro-junta Union Solidarity and Development Association have taken up positions in front of security forces at Ngwe Kyar Yan Monastery in Rangoon. About 100 monks who escaped from a violent raid on the monastery overnight have returned and united with a crowd of tens of thousands of angry people who have surrounded the monastery. Unconfirmed reports say a monk named U Sandima died early Thursday from injuries received during the raid. Crowds of people were throwing stones at the security forces. Authorities fired tear gas to try to disperse the crowd. An estimated 700 monks from three monasteries were taken away overnight. Authorities have order the crowd to disperse.
Okkalapa Township, Rangoon; Around noon—Tens of thousands of civilians have surrounded Burmese troops and police that were deployed around Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery in Rangoon early Thursday morning, after they arrested an estimated 200 monks during a violent nighttime raid, witnesses said. The monastery's walkways were splattered in pools of blood at many locations, indicating the authorities shot or severely beat scores of monks. On Thursday afternoon, one witness said the authorities fired warning shots in an attempt to disperse the hostile crowd. The civilian population of Rangoon is very tense today following the overnight raids on at least three Rangoon monasteries. Sources say up to 700 monks were taken away by security forces to an unknown location.
Rangoon; Thursday morning—Troops and riot police raided at least three Rangoon monasteries overnight, breaking their way in and beating and arresting at least 600 monks, novices and their supporters, according to eyewitness reports.
About 500 of the arrested monks were rounded up at Mogaung monastery in South Okkalapa Township, one source said.
The abbots of Maggin monastery in Rangoon’s Thingangyun Township and Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery in South Okkalapa Township were among monks rounded up and arrested in the early hours of the morning.
Troops and riot police used a vehicle to break down the main gate of Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery. Shots were fired and tear gas used in rounding up about 150 of the monastery’s monks. Soldiers also plundered the monastery, according to eyewitnesses.
Troops and riot police have meanwhile taken up positions at Moe Kaung monastery in Rangoon’s Yankin Township, sources said.
The authorities also arrested four key opposition activists overnight, including National League for Democracy spokesman Myint Thein, Zomi National Congress Chairman Cin Sian Thang and Hla Pay, chairman of the Irrawaddy Division NLD.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#27-04
Thousands of people protest, without monks, in Burma
Rangoon - Thousands of people gathered on Pagoda Road in downtown Rangoon Thursday to openly defy Burma's police and military, who have dared to arrest and beat up members of the revered Buddhist monkhood over the past two days.
An estimated 10,000 laymen congregated one block north of Sule Pagoda, a flashpoint for the past ten days of protests, where they shouted catcalls and clapped their hands in a show of contempt for the government troops around the temple.
Although barricades had been taken down on Pagoda Road Thursday morning, there were fully-armed police and soldiers lined up on the sidewalks and posted in the pagoda, readying for a confrontation, eyewitnesses said.
"There are people willing to shoot and people willing to die," said one Western diplomat of the looming showdown.
...........
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/headlines/headlines_30050449.php
Burma riots claim two photo journalists
Rangoon - Escalating protests in the streets of Rangoon claimed an unknown number of casualties Thursday including two foreigners, both of whom were believed to be foreign photo-journalists.
Both foreigners were shot near the Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon. The Kyodo news agency of Japan has identified one of the foreign victims as a Japanese photo-journalist.
A Caucasian man was also shot and died as he attempted to pass through a police barrier, a Burmese photo-journalist who witnessed the shooting told DPA.
The Caucasian's nationality was unknown.
Deustch Press Agentur
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/headlines/headlines_30050483.php
Burmese laymen pick up monks' protest, two foreigners dead
Rangoon - Thousands of laymen on Thursday carried forward an anti-military protest initiated by Burma's Buddhist monkhood with defiance against the country's hated junta, drawing gunfire that killed some civilians, including two foreigners.
Rangoon's streets, taken over by tens-of-thousands of marching monks in recent days, were replaced by angry but unarmed laymen after authorities cracked down on the clergy Wednesday and Thursday morning.
At midday an estimated 10,000 laymen gathered near the Sule Pagoda, a flashpoint for the past 10 days of protests, shouting catcalls and clapping their hands in a show of contempt for the government troops around the temple.
After police issued a verbal warning and fired warning shots, the crowds scattered. A male Caucasian foreigner, believed to be a photographer, was shot dead as he tried to make his way through a blockade of soldiers, eyewitnesses said.
A Japanese photo-journalist was also killed, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported. Unconfirmed report said he was also a Rangoon-based embassy official.
There were displays of increasingly violent dissent and brutal reprisals throughout the city.
About 1,000 villagers in South Okkalapa township on the eastern outskirts of Yangon attacked an army truck, pelting the soldiers on board with stones until they shot 10 tear gas canisters into the mob to make a getaway.
The villagers were reportedly outraged that the military had raided the Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery early Thursday morning, arresting monks and leaving its revered abbot severely beaten.
Witnesses said a lieutenant colonel leading three truckloads of soldiers in the raid beat some of his own soldiers when they refused to attack monks in the monastery.
Pitched battles followed between the soldiers and residents living near the monastery.
After dawn on Thursday, angry local residents gathered at the scene of the violence. Many of them were crying with rage.
"It is impossible to believe that the government would brutalize the holy monks," said one resident of the area who witnessed the melee. "The government is not doing this for stability. This is sacrilege to the religion we believe in."
A similar scene was witnessed later on Thursday at the intersection of Kyaikasan and Leydaungkan roads, in eastern Yangon, where hundreds of people blocked the road and faced off with soldiers. After firing warning shots, the soldiers attacked the protesters, loading hundreds on to five trucks that moved them to nearby Kyaikasan Grounds, a public park turned holding centre.
The protests continued Thursday evening, with reports that thousands of people were marching from Ahlone township to Kyimyiutine township in western Rangoon.
"There are people willing to shoot and people willing to die," said one Western diplomat of the ongoing showdown in Rangoon.
Most monks stayed away from the day's protests, amid reports that authorities had raided several monasteries at around 2 am Thursday, arresting up to 100 monks.
The ruling junta cracked down Wednesday on monk-led marches that started small on September 18 and peaked Monday with an estimated 100,000 participants.
On Wednesday riot police and soldiers beat back monks and their laymen followers with batons and tear gas from the Shwedagon Pagoda and fired warning shots at the mob around the Sule Pagoda.
The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper claimed that the clash was sparked by protesters throwing stones at the security officers.
"On account of the unavoidable circumstances, the members of the security forces fired some shots employing the least force to disperse the mob," claimed the government mouthpiece.
It claimed one civilian was killed in the melee and two others wounded. Other sources said at least five people, including monks, died on Wednesday and more than 100 were injured.
Barricades and troops were in place Thursday morning at key sites in Yangon, including the Shwedagon Pagoda and Bogyoke Street, two of the main rallying spots for the past nine days of protests in the city.
Many schools were closed as fearful residents kept their children at home.
Roadblocks had been removed Thursday from the Pagoda Road that leads to Sule Pagoda, but the temple was heavily guarded.
Burma's 's monks, said to number 400,000, have a long history of political activism. The monkhood played a pivotal role in Burma's independence struggle from Great Britain in 1947 and the anti-military demonstrations of 1988 that ended in bloodshed.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/headlines/headlines_30050482.php
Six dead including Japanese national, opposition radio
Oslo - At least six people were feared dead Thursday in more confrontations in Burma between the military and demonstrators, the Oslo-based opposition radio station Democratic Voice of Burma said.
One of the dead in Rangoon was a Japanese national believed to have been a photo-journalist, the radio station's daily news editor Htet Aung Kyaw told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in a telephone interview.
AFP meanwhile reported the first victim of the crackdown was a video journalist, Kenji Nagai, 50, who was working for APF News, a video and photo agency based in Tokyo.
His firm said Nagai worked on a contract and was dispatched in the past to trouble spots. He had entered Burma a few days ago before the crackdown.
DPA said other victims were thought to include four monks who were beaten to death in connection with overnight raids on Yangon monasteries, he said.
There were fewer monks in the crowds Thursday, partly since many were arrested in the overnight raids and that security forces have tried to block off the monasteries, according to the witness accounts received in Oslo.
Two senior leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) were arrested including spokesman Myint Thin, he said.
Demonstrations were staged in several parts of Rangoon, soldiers have fired automatic rifles at the crowds but injury tallies were not available.
In Mandalay, the second largest city, demonstrations were also staged. Information was sketchy since many phone lines were cut, but the station's sources said soldiers used an electric power line to disperse demonstrators.
In Kachin State in northern Burma near the Chinese border two monasteries were raided Tuesday evening and some 400 monks arrested, the radio station's sources said.
Demonstrations were also staged in the city of Mandalay, and witness accounts suggested solidiers used a live electric power line to disperse crowds, Htet Aung Kyaw said.
Earlier, the station's news editor Moe Aye said that an order had been issued to discharge patients from the main hospital, suggesting that the military were preparing to deploy violence against the protesters there.
...........
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/headlines/headlines_30050482.php
Thai TV Channels are reporting 9 dead so far today. Apparently this comes from Myanmar own state-run media agency.
It is possible that the now confirmed figure of 9 dead is a running total from yesterday. No where is this made at all clear:
BURMA UPRISING
Japanese among 9 dead in crackdown
Japanese newsman among victims; protesters defy bullets, beatings
Published on September 28, 2007
The violent crackdown on tens of thousands of pro-democracy protestors continued throughout Burma yesterday, killing nine people, including a Japanese newsman, in the commercial capital of Rangoon.
Burma's state media broadcast said another 11 demonstrators were injured, including one woman, along with 31 security forces, the evening television bulletin said.
"The protesters threw bricks, sticks and knives at the security forces, so because of the desperate situation the security forces had to fire warning shots," it said.
Kenji Nagai, 50, was working for APF News, a video and photo agency based in Tokyo, a spokesman for the company was reported by Agence France-Presse as saying.
"Something deplorable is happening there," Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda told reporters before the Burmese ambassador, Saw Hla Min, visited the Japanese foreign ministry in the evening. "We must consider what on earth we should do to resolve the situation."
Witnesses told the Associated Press that five men were arrested and severely beaten after soldiers fired into a crowd near a bridge across the Pazundaung River on the east side of downtown Rangoon.
The scenes of naked defiance and anger at the junta that has ruled Burma for more than four decades have underlined the depth of resentment over the crackdown that began on Wednesday.
Since then at least four people including three monks have been killed, with at least 100 injured and hundreds more arrested.
"Come on, just kill me!" a furious woman shouted as police and soldiers poured into the streets. "I don't care."
An elderly man screamed at them: "You are eating food given to you by the people. Yet you kill people and you kill the monks!"
"This is so brutal," said one woman who wept as she spoke. "How can they do this to us, even though they are Buddhists?"
Security forces have been trying to crush the protests, which have marked the biggest public challenge to the junta's rule in 20 years.
But the live rounds, baton charges and tear gas failed to deter the people from returning to the streets in their tens of thousands yesterday.
When the warning shots and ultimatums came, they ran for their lives, along the roads and overhead walkways, into houses and doorways and towards the outskirts of the city.
But in a sign of their determination, they regrouped in large numbers, in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with the heavily armed troops.
Schools, restaurants and most shops were shut. Away from the hot spots the normally crowded streets were largely deserted except for a few women who dashed out to buy food at the handful of market stalls that dared to open.
In eastern Rangoon, crowds gathered around the Ngwekyaryan monastery that was raided overnight by security forces.
Some cried openly as they saw how the monastery had been trashed, leaving the ground carpeted with broken glass and spent bullet cartridges, and belongings strewn around the rooms.
A photo of the abbot had been ripped from the wall and thrown to the ground. Some of the monks who escaped returned after dawn with visible wounds, some bleeding from their shaven heads.
Agencies,The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/28/headlines/headlines_30050543.php
Gleaned from:
http://www.prachatai.com/english/news.php?id=245
Thai script original report:
http://www.fringer.org/?p=279
Fringer's highlighting - to show his own opinions - seems to be a bit a bit muddled. So I have left it out. You can always refer to the original blog entry (above) if you want to try and unravel this for yourself:
Shame on the Burmese junta, shame on the Thai government
Fringer
27 September 2007
Pick to Post
I'm back to posting in English again briefly since I really want to communicate this to the world :/
Today's Bangkok Post editorial (http://www.bangkokpost.net/270907_News/27Sep2007_news19.php) has a good summary of what I feel right now about the Thai government's deafening and morally repugnant silence over the massacre that's going on in Thailand's next-door neighbor, so I'd suggest anyone who is interested in reading my thoughts on this to read that editorial instead.
What I want to do today is simply call foreigners' attention to comments made by the head of Thailand's military junta (http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9500000114063) which I find either amazingly clueless or totally abhorrent, depending on how much he actually knows about the situation. Since this news article is somehow not available in English (neither The Nation or The Bangkok Post, Thailand's two largest English newspapers, printed the story), I am translating it here for anyone who wants some idea about why Thailand is doing nothing (by the way, "Council for National Security" is the fancy name Thailand's junta is using to call themselves).
The article is a bit "old," but I think it's still useful as it shows the repugnant "mentality" of Thailand's junta leader quite well.
......
"Big Bung" believes the chaos in Myanmar won't get out of hand"
Translated from this Thai article. (http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9500000114063)
Head of Council for National Security believes the Burmese military junta will be able to control monks' protest not to get out of hand. Points out this is Myanmar's "internal affairs" in which friendly superpowers including China and South Korea stand ready to assist.
Today (26 September) coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin gave an interview regarding the use of force by Myanmar's military government to disperse protesters as follows: in this situation, Myanmar's military government isn't using soldiers, but is using the police force to disperse protesters. This is considered the correct procedure that every country follows. In this kind of situation, soldiers must make way for the police to handle it, but the actual means of doing so depends on each country's own techniques. However, I believe the current situation is still not violent; it's still containable. With regards to news of violence on the monks, I think we cannot answer from looking at the photos alone, because as Thailand's situation has shown, sometimes the people use violence on the officers. Sometimes officers have to protect themselves. These photos are political in nature which we consider Myanmar's internal affairs.
When asked whether he's concerned that there will be more Burmese refugees coming into Thailand, General Sondhi replied that: the situation along the Thai-Myanmar borders should remain normal, except if the Burmese junta would announce curfew and order the closing of borders, which is something that's within their powers to do. I don't believe the current situation will go that far, because it's a normal protest and not a political crackdown.
As for the concern that the beating of Buddhist monks, which the populace highly revere, by state officials may arouse more people to join the protest and push the situation to get out of hand, General Sondhi replied that: the Burmese government probably understands that this is just a tactic of the protesters. The government must find a way to handle this, because they know that they can't use violence on the monks; they must be gentle. According to the latest reports that I have received, the Burmese government has begun the negotiation process by inviting senior monks to help defuse the situation already.
When asked what may happen when the international community starts to pressure the Burmese government, General Sondhi replied that: the Burmese junta probably wouldn't care, because in the past they have always taken care of themselves. When outsiders don't intervene in domestic affairs, everyone can co-exist. In fact, the Burma government has many friendly nations who stand ready to help, including China and Korea, because Myanmar is a nation with a wealth of natural resources; many superpowers want to go in. Therefore, no matter what happens to that country, many countries are secretly protecting it. This is the smarts of some superpowers with whom we [Thailand] are friendly. If we get involved, our relationship with them may be damaged.
New Mandala has an interesting commentary on the General Sonthi interview. Also check out the reader's comments:
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2007/09/27/thailands-mad-junta/
It may put it in perspective a bit that this loan is intended to ease the purchasing of materials within Thailand, with which to undertake infrastructure projects in Myanmar. EXIM almost certainly has those who will gain from these purchases breathing down its neck to ensure they honor their 'obligation' to keep business community happy at all costs:
27 September 2007
Finance Minister affirms EXIM Bank to continue releasing loan to Myanmar
Finance Minister Sommai Phasi (สมหมาย ภาษี) reports that the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) Bank will continue releasing the rest of a four-billion baht loan to Myanmar despite the ongoing political turmoil.
The rest of the loan or 341 million baht has yet been disbursed by Myanmar, the minister says.
Mt Sommai says the ministry decided to release 341 million baht to Myanmar as the loan contract was made before the protest took place and Myanmar has good enough credit.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter04
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255009270030
Ah Yes! HERE it is:
27 September 2007
EXIM Bank lends Bt4 billion to Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank
The Managing Director of the Export Import Bank of Thailand, Dr. Apichai Boonthiraworn (อภิชัย บุญธีรวร), reports that the EXIM Bank is providing 4 billion baht in loans to Myanmar over a period of 12 years through the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank. The loan agreement was initiated on June 2004 and will allow the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank to act as a proxy for the Myanmese government in procuring essential goods and services from Thailand in order to improve infrastructure in Myanmar.
The Export Import Bank of Thailand has so far supported loans for Thai exporters to Myanmar under a procurement contract, of which 3.937 billion baht has been approved by the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, accounting for 98% of total loans provided by the EXIM Bank. 90% of loans have been allocated, while 8% remain under evaluation. The Managing Director of the Export Import Bank of Thailand reports that the EXIM Bank is closely monitoring politial demonstrations in Myanmar in order to determine whether the military junta will alter its economic policies during this period.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter02
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255009270011
Some Phuket residents are calling on people to wear a red shirt tomorrow to show their solidarity and concern for Burmese/Myanmese people suffering under the vicious Junta jackboot:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17375&postcount=13
http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=5984
Numerous reports, photos and updates:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 27
Rangoon, late evening—One western diplomat in Rangoon has speculated that army chief vice Snr-Gen Maung Aye may meet the detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi soon in an attempt to ease increasing tension in Burma. The source added that Maung Aye calls the shots for the moment.
Rangoon, 7:00 p.m.—Crowds defied the curfew in several parts of Rangoon on Thursday evening. A 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew was clamped on the city on Wednesday, but as darkness fell on Thursday crowds of protesters still roamed the streets. At Hledan junction, security forces fired warning shots after the crowds ignored orders to disperse and go home.
Rangoon—The Japanese Embassy in Rangoon said that a Japanese national was killed during the protest in downtown Rangoon today, according to a Kyodo News agency report. Several people were hit by stray bullets fired by soldiers and one of them was a person who appeared to be a photographer, according to the broadcast. A source inside Rangoon said that two foreigners were shot, one of whom was killed. Several international media agencies reported that about 10 people had been killed, but this is unconfirmed.
Rangoon, 4:00 p.m.—Firing broke out in a confrontation between troops and thousands of demonstrators in Rangoon’s Tamwe township on Thursday afternoon. The demonstrators had marched to eastern Rangoon from the city center. Two separate forces of troops sealed the huge crowds off and then opened fire. There is no word on casualties.
Rangoon, 3:30 p.m.—Soldiers entered Traders Hotel, situated in the heart of Rangoon, near Sule pagoda, on Thursday and searched it room by room, according to sources. It was thought the soldiers were searching for foreign journalists suspected of reporting clandestinely on the crackdown.
Rangoon; Mid-afternoon—Thousands of protesters who were dispersed when military troops near Sule Pagoda fired into a large crowd are reportedly heading to Tamwe Township, a participating protester said. The protester said most of the demonstrators are determined to continue their protest despite the danger. After troops fired on the crowd, about 100 civilians were arrested and taken away. Unconfirmed reports say about 10 people were hit by gunfire.
Sule Pagoda, Rangoon; Mid-afternoon—About 10 protesters have been shot by troops trying to disperse tens of thousands of people near Sule Pagoda in Rangoon on Thursday afternoon, witnesses said. One source said the injuries looked serious. Unconfirmed reports say one foreigner was shot and taken away by the troops. It is believed security forces issued a 10-minute warning to the crowd to disperse or face "extreme action."
..........
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#27-11
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/II28Ae02.html
http://www.atimes.com/atimes//images/tan-shwe.gif
[Mugshot: Asia Times Online]
Sep 28, 2007
The man behind the Myanmar madness
By Richard Ehrlich and Shawn W Crispin
BANGKOK - Myanmar's monk-led struggle for political change has made global headlines, but the dictator who rules the country with an iron fist, General Than Shwe, 74, is still obscure, often grimly hidden behind dark sunglasses and a military uniform decorated with medals. He is widely viewed, both at home and overseas, as the major stumbling block to national reconciliation and the restoration of democracy.
The senior general is occasionally seen in local media saluting Myanmar's powerful armed forces at parades and other state ceremonies, his jowls framing a plump, sullen face. He is also widely known to suffer from health problems, for which he frequently seeks medical care in Singapore, and some analysts wonder whether he still has the mental facilities and political judgment to manage the current crisis roiling his regime.
Rumors circulating in the Thailand-based Burmese-exile community contend that the military leader recently sent his close family members to Bangkok in case the protests spiral out of control. As the hardline junta's top general, Than Shwe would certainly have reason to fear if the growing protest movement eventually led to forced regime change.
Rights groups in Thailand have studiously chronicled the military regime's abuses, including well-documented allegations of forced labor, torture, systematic rape and the ill-treatment of many of the country's estimated 1,200 political prisoners. For many of those charges, rights groups contend, Than Shwe could be held directly responsible in an eventual international tribunal.
The introverted and superstitious leader is also known to be the driving force behind the junta's bizarre decision to move the national capital 400 kilometers north from Yangon to Naypyidaw in 2005. Some political analysts have speculated that the new capital was built toward the aim of re-establishing the country's long-abolished monarchy as part of a broader political transition where Than Shwe would assume a newly established throne.
Than Shwe, a high-school dropout, does not have particularly aristocratic roots, however. He was born in 1933, when Myanmar, then known as Burma, was still under British colonial rule. Those formative years under foreign rule may explain his regime's still-frequent warnings that Britain and the United States support subversive elements aimed at stirring unrest inside Myanmar toward the alleged aim of overthrowing the military government and securing privileged access to the country's rich bounty of natural resources, including large unexploited deposits of oil and gas.
Yet his regime's own relentless truth-twisting, severe censorship, endless sloganeering, and rampant jingoism are often referred to as Orwellian and have earned Myanmar critical international rebukes, including frequently from the United Nations. Than Shwe has the credentials for national thought control, based on his work dating back to the 1950s in the army's Psychological Operations Department, when he was involved in churning out nationalistic propaganda.
Later, his well-established shoot-to-kill instincts, particularly in counterinsurgency campaigns against minority ethnic-Karen guerrillas in the country's eastern regions, earned him a promotion to captain in 1960. He quickly ingratiated himself to the military's top brass by helping General Ne Win seize power in a 1962 military coup, ending the country's short post-independence experiment with democracy.
Than Shwe steadily climbed the ranks, at crucial junctures favoring bullets over ballots.
The current uprising led by Buddhist monks, pro-democracy activists and a growing number of ordinary people echoes a similar, failed popular insurrection in 1988, which Than Shwe and other military leaders crushed after city streets swelled with protesters.
An estimated 3,000 people perished in that idealistic attempt to topple the regime and restore democracy. Many people now fear an equally bloody confrontation could erupt amid the current clashes, and there have been reports that Than Shwe favors a heavy-handed response over possible negotiations.
During the military's internal squabbling after 1988, Ne Win was ousted in a coup and Than Shwe rose to the new hardline military regime's top spot in 1992. Ne Win died under house arrest in 2002.
It remains to be seen whether another ambitious soldier may use the current chaos as pretext to eclipse the ailing Than Shwe and seize power for a new military faction. Than Shwe's all-encompassing official titles include commander-in-chief of the military and chairman of the junta's ruling body, which he helped re-brand as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) from its harsher-sounding earlier incarnation as the State Law and Order Restoration Council.
Last year his government suffered a rare paparazzi-style scandal, when he hosted an unusually lavish wedding for his daughter. A 10-minute video clip, filmed at the wedding in the old capital Yangon, surfaced on the Internet purporting to show the bride, Thandar Shwe, swathed in sumptuous jewels - revealing the utter disparity in wealth between the military elite and the impoverished general population.
The champagne, five-star comforts and other opulence became a sore point among exile-based dissidents and the butt of jokes mocking Than Shwe and the junta's insistence that his military regime is not corrupt. This week, international corruption watchdog Transparency International ranked Myanmar, along with Somalia, as the most corrupt country in the world in the group's 180-country index for 2007.
Perhaps because of that record, Than Shwe has been the isolationist counter-force to moderates in the military leadership who have favored more engagement with the outside world and perhaps a more conciliatory approach to the political opposition. Than Shwe broke off the United Nations-supported secret dialogue with the political opposition in 2003 and he is known to harbor a personal grudge toward National League for Democracy and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, which has hampered national-reconciliation initiatives.
He reportedly reluctantly signed off on then-SPDC secretary No 1 Khin Nyunt's drive to have Myanmar elevated into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1997. However, membership failed to deliver the immediate economic gains the SPDC first envisaged, because of the regional financial crisis, and has more recently opened his government to more criticism of the SPDC's abysmal rights record and more neighborly pressure to implement democratic reforms. Khin Nyunt was removed in an internal 2004 purge and there are now indications Than Shwe is considering withdrawing Myanmar from the regional grouping.
Reporters Without Borders, a press-freedom group based in France, recently described Than Shwe as a "notoriously paranoid general" who keeps himself virtually mummified from his own countrymen in the new capital, Naypyidaw, which his government built at great expense and moved to in late 2005. News reports indicate that the reclusive general seldom leaves his personal villa and rarely personally addresses the SPDC leadership.
Than Shwe "makes very few public appearances, and most Burmese have never heard him speak", the press-freedom group said in a statement. "His militaristic speeches, harshly attacking the pro-democracy opposition, are read for him on the government radio and TV, and are given prominence by all government media."
However, it's likely the local media would revise the tone and substance of their reports about the aging dictator should he happen to be overthrown by the popular movement now testing his hold on political power.
Richard S Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based journalist from San Francisco, California. Shawn W Crispin is Asia Times Online's Southeast Asia Editor.
Click on the following link for discussion of the international response to the Myanmar crisis. What can individuals and their governments do to better respond to this 'civil war'? (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=17383#post17383):
..........
The Catholic Archbishop of Yangon, Charles Bo, was among those tear-gassed by the troops breaking up the crowds at Sule Pagoda.
"I fear a bloodbath," Bo told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa after fleeing to his home nearby.
"But the people welcome an escalation of the violence so the situation will turn into something similar to East Timor, when the United Nations had to intervene," the archbishop said.
He added that he had urged his parish to join the protests that have shook Rangoon, Burma's former capital, since September 18.
............
http://ratchasima.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/settle-through-dialogue.JPG
[Photo: http://ratchasima.net/saffron-revolution/]
http://ratchasima.net/
This Chinese government comment (below) cannot even remotely be considered as a serious and direct response. China IS in a bit of a fix over this crisis. Whichever way it turns, it is likely to be criticised for its action, and to lose face. But if China wants to be considered as a true superpower, it is going to have to get used to making uncomfortable decisions. But to be fair, this inadequate response is far from being restricted to China. One might even say that there isn't a single country in the world that is prepared to take realistic steps to confront the Junta in Myanmar/Burma.
China urges restraint in Burma standoff
Beijing (dpa) - China on Thursday urged Burma's military leaders to exercise restraint in handling anti-government protesters and voiced its support for UN mediation between the two sides.
"We hope that the parties will exercise restraint and properly handle the situation so as to avoid any complication or escalation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
"We hope that the international community will provide constructive assistance to allow the relaxation of the situation," Jiang said.
The UN Security Council failed to agree on a joint statement on Burma Wednesday because of Chinese objections, but China supported the mission to Burma by envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
Jiang said China also wanted to see Burma "devoted to improving its welfare and national harmony" and restore stability by "properly handling its domestic social contradictions."
China's ruling Communist Party has close links to Burma's ruling junta and has strategic and security interests in the country.
But Chinese leaders make regular public statements supporting gradual democratic reform in Myanmar.
Some Western diplomats and analysts believe China has already put pressure on the junta not to use excessive force against the recent protesters.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122089
I would like to try and use this thread to explore ways in which both the international community and individuals can do to bring this 'civil war' to an end. I don't have any real confidence in the ability of countries and international groups to deal with this crisis. Their hands are pretty much tied behind their backs by what they feel is the constant necessity to appease the 'business' god. And I am aware that some Burmese opposition groups argue that it is better to deal with multinationals like TOTAL than with Chinese companies who have absolutely no policy at all to interact with the communities in which their extractive industries work.
So perhaps it is better to discuss what individuals can do. It is worth noting that many individuals have long tried to take action against the Junta in their own small way. The result is obviously unsatisfactory, but seems to be somewhat better than anything that governments & international organizations have attempted to date.
So here are a couple of suggestions that are already in circulation.
A boycott of the upcoming Olympic Games in China. China is undoubtedly ONE of the states best placed to influence the Junta. Realistically, I wouldn't expect states to get in on this act. But if enough individuals decided they didn't want to compete in this games, it could have an impact on China's showcase Olympics. Part of the reason that China is pussyfooting on this issue is because it is aware that its Olympics have already been jeopardised by the Darfur crisis. (BBC World Service Radio carried an interview with Laura Bush this morning. The US President's wife mentioned China's Olympic Games in a way that was obviously designed to carry a boycott threat, but never actually made it explicit.)
An individual boycott of Chinese goods. Never an easy option. How does one distinguish a Chinese product?
The problem with both of these ideas is that they do not meet the problem head on.They are also NOT immediate enough to stop the current slaughter. And, of course, we already know that embargoes do actually have a negative impact on the people we would like to try and help.
I think we all have times when we feel that we would like to take some individual action or make some lone complaint, but we are also aware that our actions can easily turn out to be irresponsible in their own right. (Darfur and Zimbabwe certainly spring to mind here. Indeed, even the parlous state of Thai politics - in which public desires are almost always dinned out by the kleptocratic ways of political factions and dynasties.) And many of us are constantly aware that this is not our country, not our region. But then given the fact that a lot of us no longer have any real ties to the country we were born in, it shouldn't be too surprising that we do have opinions on the place where we either choose to live or even that we are forced to live in out of political or economic necessity.
Willing to be shot down in flames over this one!
I note that some Burma watchers are actually appreciative of Big Bung's honesty on this one. This was certainly expected. At one point yesterday, he told reporters he was more interested in achieving social justice for the citizens of his country than in furthering his own political career. That concern obviously does not translate to a neighboring country that is on the brink - yet again - of exporting the problems it does not want to solve to other countries to deal with. Refugees, economic migrants, disease, border disputes ..... . The list is almost endless. Indeed, even the possibility that conflict might spill over the border into a country where an economically-challenged section of society is already at odds with yet another seemingly intractable Junta. So it seems, that the Thai junta is also incredibly short-sighted.
Gleaned from:
http://www.prachatai.com/english/news.php?id=245
Thai script original report:
http://www.fringer.org/?p=279
Fringer's highlighting - to show his own opinions - seems to be a bit a bit muddled. So I have left it out. You can always refer to the original blog entry (above) if you want to try and unravel this for yourself:
Shame on the Burmese junta, shame on the Thai government
Fringer
27 September 2007
Pick to Post
I'm back to posting in English again briefly since I really want to communicate this to the world :/
Today's Bangkok Post editorial (http://www.bangkokpost.net/270907_News/27Sep2007_news19.php) has a good summary of what I feel right now about the Thai government's deafening and morally repugnant silence over the massacre that's going on in Thailand's next-door neighbor, so I'd suggest anyone who is interested in reading my thoughts on this to read that editorial instead.
What I want to do today is simply call foreigners' attention to comments made by the head of Thailand's military junta (http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9500000114063) which I find either amazingly clueless or totally abhorrent, depending on how much he actually knows about the situation. Since this news article is somehow not available in English (neither The Nation or The Bangkok Post, Thailand's two largest English newspapers, printed the story), I am translating it here for anyone who wants some idea about why Thailand is doing nothing (by the way, "Council for National Security" is the fancy name Thailand's junta is using to call themselves).
The article is a bit "old," but I think it's still useful as it shows the repugnant "mentality" of Thailand's junta leader quite well.
......
"Big Bung" believes the chaos in Myanmar won't get out of hand"
Translated from this Thai article. (http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9500000114063)
Head of Council for National Security believes the Burmese military junta will be able to control monks' protest not to get out of hand. Points out this is Myanmar's "internal affairs" in which friendly superpowers including China and South Korea stand ready to assist.
Today (26 September) coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin gave an interview regarding the use of force by Myanmar's military government to disperse protesters as follows: in this situation, Myanmar's military government isn't using soldiers, but is using the police force to disperse protesters. This is considered the correct procedure that every country follows. In this kind of situation, soldiers must make way for the police to handle it, but the actual means of doing so depends on each country's own techniques. However, I believe the current situation is still not violent; it's still containable. With regards to news of violence on the monks, I think we cannot answer from looking at the photos alone, because as Thailand's situation has shown, sometimes the people use violence on the officers. Sometimes officers have to protect themselves. These photos are political in nature which we consider Myanmar's internal affairs.
When asked whether he's concerned that there will be more Burmese refugees coming into Thailand, General Sondhi replied that: the situation along the Thai-Myanmar borders should remain normal, except if the Burmese junta would announce curfew and order the closing of borders, which is something that's within their powers to do. I don't believe the current situation will go that far, because it's a normal protest and not a political crackdown.
As for the concern that the beating of Buddhist monks, which the populace highly revere, by state officials may arouse more people to join the protest and push the situation to get out of hand, General Sondhi replied that: the Burmese government probably understands that this is just a tactic of the protesters. The government must find a way to handle this, because they know that they can't use violence on the monks; they must be gentle. According to the latest reports that I have received, the Burmese government has begun the negotiation process by inviting senior monks to help defuse the situation already.
When asked what may happen when the international community starts to pressure the Burmese government, General Sondhi replied that: the Burmese junta probably wouldn't care, because in the past they have always taken care of themselves. When outsiders don't intervene in domestic affairs, everyone can co-exist. In fact, the Burma government has many friendly nations who stand ready to help, including China and Korea, because Myanmar is a nation with a wealth of natural resources; many superpowers want to go in. Therefore, no matter what happens to that country, many countries are secretly protecting it. This is the smarts of some superpowers with whom we [Thailand] are friendly. If we get involved, our relationship with them may be damaged.
New Mandala has an interesting commentary on the General Sonthi interview. Also check out the reader's comments:
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2007/09/27/thailands-mad-junta/
Asean demands Burmese junta to stop crackdown
UNITED NATIONS--The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which Burma also a member, demanded the military junta to immediately desist form the use of violence against demonstrators.
The military junta admitted that its troops killed at least nine people during the crackdown to the massive protest.
Foreign Ministers of the regional grouping met on Thursday on the side line of the United Nations General Assembly to take common position over the crisis in Burma.
They expressed their revulsion to Burma's Foreign Minister Nyan Win over reports that the demonstrations were being suppressed by violent force and that there been a number of fatalities.
Singaporean foreign minister George Yeo, as the chair of the group, issued a statement after the meeting calling Burma to "exercise utmost restraint and seek a political solution."
They called upon Myanmar to resume its efforts at the national reconciliation with all parties concerned, and work towards a peaceful transition to democracy. The Asean ministers also called for the release of all political detainees including Aung San Suu Kyi, minister Yeo said in a read out statement.
With the support from the Asean, the United Nations special envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari got a green right to land in Burma as Nyan Win assured the meeting that his visa would be used in Singapore.
Gambari was in his way to Singapore and expected to get access into Burma in couple of days, said foreign minister Nitya Pibulsonggram.
The Asean asked the Burmese government to fully cooperate with Gambari.
"Gambari's role as neutral interlocutor among all the parties can help defuse the dangerous situation," said the Asean chairman's statement.
Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said Burma should engage with Gambari fully and allow access for him to be able to find solution toward democracy.
"Now there is no going backward, there is a need for political process,… They should not deal the demonstration with violence," Syed told reporters after the Asean meeting.
Burmese foreign minister Nyan Win did not give interview to journalists but Syed said the Burmese only explained what he considered the actual situation accusing some parties tried to create instability within Burma.
"But we want to see the tangible side of political reconciliation that Aung San Suu Kyi is released," he said.
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/28/regional/regional_30050559.php
On BBC World Service Radio this morning, former Indian Foreign Minister George Fernandes (an undoubted political maverick and Sinophobe) was taking India's government heavily to task for its current policy of uncritical engagement & cooperation with the Myanmar Junta:
Indian MP Criticizes Government over Burma Policy
By Violet Cho
September 27, 2007
Members of India's parliament have criticized the ruling government for failing to push Burma's military government on the path to democracy and national reconciliation.
The Indian government signed a gas contract with Burma's government earlier this week in the midst of a national uprising that has seen the junta open fire on monks and civilians, killing at least five monks and injuring scores of pro-democracy demonstrators.
Dr. Nirmala Deshpande, a member of the upper Indian parliament group, said the Indian government has not done enough for democracy in Burma.
“They [the government] should have sympathy on the Burmese people and take the initiative to pressure the military government to release political prisoners including Aung San Su Kyi,” said Nirmala Deshpande.
Earlier this week. India's Minister of Oil and Gas, Murli S Deora, met with military regime leaders in the capital of Naypyidaw.
According to the state-own newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, the India delegation signed a production sharing contract and discussed energy issues.
Soe Myint, the chief editor of the India-based Burmese newspaper Mizzima, said it was strange for the Indian government to discuss oil and gas investments when there were massive protests in Burma sparked by a doubling of petrol and diesel prices.
"The Indian government is taking this chance to exploit Burmese citizens," he said.
The India government issued an official statement on Burma on Wednesday. "It is our hope that all sides will resolve their issues peacefully through dialogue,” the statement said.
Soe Myint said he believed the government issued the statement because of pressure from the US government and other countries.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8772
It may put it in perspective a bit that this loan is intended to ease the purchasing of materials within Thailand, with which to undertake infrastructure projects in Myanmar. EXIM almost certainly has those who will gain from these purchases breathing down its neck to ensure they honor their 'obligation' to keep business community happy at all costs:
27 September 2007
Finance Minister affirms EXIM Bank to continue releasing loan to Myanmar
Finance Minister Sommai Phasi (สมหมาย ภาษี) reports that the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) Bank will continue releasing the rest of a four-billion baht loan to Myanmar despite the ongoing political turmoil.
The rest of the loan or 341 million baht has yet been disbursed by Myanmar, the minister says.
Mt Sommai says the ministry decided to release 341 million baht to Myanmar as the loan contract was made before the protest took place and Myanmar has good enough credit.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter04
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255009270030
Ah Yes! HERE it is:
27 September 2007
EXIM Bank lends Bt4 billion to Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank
The Managing Director of the Export Import Bank of Thailand, Dr. Apichai Boonthiraworn (อภิชัย บุญธีรวร), reports that the EXIM Bank is providing 4 billion baht in loans to Myanmar over a period of 12 years through the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank. The loan agreement was initiated on June 2004 and will allow the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank to act as a proxy for the Myanmese government in procuring essential goods and services from Thailand in order to improve infrastructure in Myanmar.
The Export Import Bank of Thailand has so far supported loans for Thai exporters to Myanmar under a procurement contract, of which 3.937 billion baht has been approved by the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, accounting for 98% of total loans provided by the EXIM Bank. 90% of loans have been allocated, while 8% remain under evaluation. The Managing Director of the Export Import Bank of Thailand reports that the EXIM Bank is closely monitoring politial demonstrations in Myanmar in order to determine whether the military junta will alter its economic policies during this period.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter02
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255009270011
Thai petroleum company affirms ability to do business in Myanmar
BANGKOK, Sept 27 (TNA) – Thailand’s state-owned PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) affirmed Wednesday it remains able to operate the natural gas production business in Myanmar despite military crackdown on protesters in the neighbouring country.
PTTEP said in a statement that the company had closely monitored the situation in Myanmar all along.
Despite the eruption of violence in Thailand’s neighbouring country, the company is still able to explore and produce around 650 million cubic feet per day of natural gas in the Yanada field and 430 CFPD of the gas in the Yetakun field
The gas could be supplied to meet the continued increase in the local demand.
Also, the company’s exploration of petroleum in the M-9 block continues to proceed normally.
The company revealed it had procedures to abide by in a different level of the situation for all petroleum fields in every country in which it had participated to ensure the convenience and safety for the firm’s staff. (TNA) – E005
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31889
http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?id=5984
I sort of wonder a bit whether this is anyway connected with the 'Say No' Campaign. I doubt it though, as this seems to be a bit of a Phuket farang/tourist industry phenomenon. In any case, one can always wear a plain red shirt or add slogans to it in such a way that your sentiments are clear. Given the op, I would probably have voted against the constitution anyway. Just a bit wary of some of the NO campaigns more store-bought elements! (I have been avoiding yellow for months.) :)
I also found this picture from Malaysia that makes it plain that red IS the color that has been chosen for solidarity protests against the Junta:
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/9/28/nation/myanmar2809.jpg
[Photo: The Star - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/28/nation/20070928131223&sec=nation - Myanmar protesters and supporters offer prayers outside the Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur during a demonstration Friday. - AP]
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Red-shirt-Friday campaign sweeps Phuket
PHUKET: In a global groundswell of support for the people of Burma, SMS messages have been circulating around the island in the past few hours with the message: “In support of our incredibly brave friends in Burma: May all the people around the world wear a red shirt on Friday, September 28.”
This message was brought to the Gazette’s attention by a Norwegian reader who gave his name as “Wind”.
The Gazette has so far been unable to confirm who started the initiative or when it began, but it appears to be a friend-to-friend text messaging campaign that arose in the aftermath of the Burmese government’s crackdown on protesting monks and civilians yesterday that left five dead and about 100 injured.
A number of bloggers and users of popular social-networking websites, such as Facebook and MySpace, have also been circulating the message.
28 September 2007
ISOC monitors unrests in Myanmar
The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) is monitoring the political unrest in Myanmar and the situation along the border.
Deputy Spokesman of ISOC Col.Thanathip Sawangsaeng (ธนาธิป สว่างแสง) discloses that ISOC has prepared plans to tackle possible violence in Thai-Burmese border areas due to turmoil in Myanmar. He says there is a high possibility that an influx of Burmese nationals will be fleeing to Thailand.
Col.Thanathip adds that a refugee camp in the country can accommodate up to 2,000 – 3,000 people and affirms ISOC will safeguard and assist the refugees who wish to return to Myanmar after the situation returns to normalcy. However, latest reports show that further violence is not likely to take place.
As For Burmese laborers in Thailand, the deputy spokesman says ISOC has closely monitored them, especially 100,000 of the laborers in Ranong and Samut Sakhon provinces.
Burmese college students in Thailand have also staged a rally against the Burmese junta but no violence has been reported.
Reporter : RTI-Reporter05
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255009280005
FarangBha
28-09-07, 01:38 PM
Below is a newspaper report by a friend of mine who was recently in Burma. Its a good scene setter:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/rangoon-revisited-the-mood-has-changed/2007/09/27/1190486482537.html?page=2
Print this article | Close this window
Rangoon revisited: the mood has changed
September 28, 2007
Advertisement
I WAS lunching with a Burmese businesswoman in the Monsoon Restaurant near the Sule Pagoda two weeks ago when the first of the maroon-robed monks marched past, a group of 400 waving flags with a large contingent of supporters.
Suddenly the clatter of the busy restaurant ceased. An eerie silence descended. From outside came chanting, shouting and the strange slapping sound of hundreds of slippered feet.
I looked out the window and there they were - the marching monks. The notion that this might happen had been the talk of the city for days.
Seeing a demonstration in Rangoon is a surreal sight, something I had never witnessed. What was even more surprising than the marching monks was their retinue of ordinary people, many holdings hands, their faces screwed up in anguish. This was open defiance, unprecedented in recent Burmese history.
It took almost an hour for the parade to pass the restaurant. When they were gone I hailed a cab and headed to the Myanmar Times office, where other taxi drivers were arriving to report that demonstrations had started all over the city.
The paper's veteran reporter, Chit Thein Oo, bustled into the office of the editor-in-chief, Ross Dunkley, noting ominously that now the protests had begun they would build and last a long time.
There was a discussion of whether staff photographers should be sent out, but Dunkley said it was a waste of time. "They'll only get arrested, like last time," he said. Agence France-Presse had local photographers and reporters on the ground who seemed immune from arrest.
After leaving the office I toured the city by cab and saw knots of demonstrators in many of the streets. When I returned to my hotel a longyi-clad man in a white collarless shirt, who had arrived the day before, was still sitting on an old wooden chair by the lift - just watching.
Presumably he was secret police. "Who is that man?" I later asked one of hotel's management staff. She smiled, rolled her eyes, and said: "Government guy."
I had arrived in Rangoon days earlier for the launch of Burma's first trendy young women's magazine, Now!. I had immediately noticed that the mood in the city had changed dramatically since my previous visits.
Usually people are fearful of saying anything derogatory about the Government to strangers, especially foreigners, but on this trip that reserve had gone.
People immediately launched into unprompted diatribes about how bad things were, especially about how hard it was to get by financially. The local currency, the kyat, was going off the rails - in recent years it had hovered between 800 and 1000 kyat per $US1, but moneychangers in the market were offering me 1450 kyat to the $US1 before serious bargaining even began.
The price of petrol had almost doubled. Bus fares had increased so much that some workers could no longer afford to travel to work. Drinking water was hard to get.
The electricity supply was more erratic than usual. In the days leading up to the demonstrations the Yangon City Electricity Supply Board had announced that what it optimistically called "24-hour power" would end in November because "when the rainy season ends we lose a lot of our hydropower".
Burma's bountiful natural gas supplies have been sold off by the generals for a handsome profit to neighbouring countries such as India. Rice was expensive, everything was expensive, and the Government was busy sinking millions of dollars into Naypyidaw, the new capital city far from Rangoon.
As seasoned Burma watchers know, it is not freedom or democracy that tips the balance in this dysfunctional pariah nation - it is the hip-pocket nerve that triggers the uprisings. When the people cannot eat they get angry.
Even after my arrival at Rangoon's expensive new airport, I began worrying about my taxi driver, Zaw. He was drawing the attention of other drivers, and one thing I knew from experience in Rangoon was that it does not pay to draw attention. Not only did he tell me how bad things were the moment I climbed into his cab, but he became excited, banging his fist on the steering wheel, shouting and spraying spittle on the windscreen. He shouted that it was all "f ---ing shit", that the Government was "f---ing shit", giving me examples of the Government's excesses.
He told me that many people had gone broke after buying cars the generals had arranged to have smuggled in from the Thai border, then sold for absurd prices of $12,000 to $15,000 for a 15-year-old Toyota. The generals then declared the smuggled cars illegal and seized them, giving the buyers no compensation.
He then drove me past the mansion belonging to one of Burma's richest industrialists, Tay Zar. He slowed down and pointed up the driveway at the two Ferraris, one red, one yellow, plus a new Mini Cooper, shaking his head in rage.
Owning two Ferraris seems a stupid show of ostentation because the roads are so dilapidated it is doubtful a car could ever go beyond 50kmh.
Tay Zar's ostentation is also known in Singapore. A recent report by Teo See Tuck in the Irrawaddy Journal said: "He [Tay Zar] has registered several companies in Singapore to operate businesses for the junta. He owns many black luxury cars, such as a Mercedes, a BMW and a Lexus with the cars' plate numbers 2727. They move in and out of the Meritus Mandarin Hotel to chauffeur the junta's VIPs and families to medical check-ups at Mount Elizabeth and sightseeing in Singapore.
"When the VIPs arrive in Singapore, he arranges transportation and pays for medical bills, all expenses paid by his company, Pavo Trading. The company has a special import licence to send goods to Myanmar and the Myanmar Port Authority gives the goods special consideration."
Tay Zar now operates his own airline, Air Bagan. But it is widely known that his service to Bangkok has lost a fortune. Taxi driver Zaw's final complaint was that he had just got a hefty parking fine and yet none of the cars belonging to the rich - also illegally parked - were booked. But such is the daily inequity of life in Rangoon.
Peter Olszewski worked in Rangoon for the English-language Myanmar Times in 2004 and is the author of Land of a Thousand Eyes (Allen & Unwin).
This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/09/27/1190486482537.html
Never an easy call too to decide on stuff like this, but note that there is always some General or Admiral jumping in quickly to tell the population what they should think. Many of the Myanmese participants in the SEA Games are likely to connected to the Junta's security forces, since they are one of the few groups privileged enough to enjoy access to sports-training facilities. Indeed, even in Thailand sports is largely controlled by military men like the unadmirable Sarawaut:
September 27, 2007 20:31 PM
Protests Unlikely To Affect Myanmar's Trip To SEA Games
By D. Arul Rajoo
BANGKOK, Sept 27 (Bernama) -- The violent crackdown on street demonstrations in Myanmar would not affect the country's participation in the coming SEA Games in Korat, a Thai official said today.
Games Organising Administration Committee chairman Admiral Surawaut Maharom said Myanmar's domestic politics should not hinder their athletes from coming to the kingdom in December.
"Sports and politics are two different issues... they should not be linked together. If there is any political argument, it should be made at the diplomatic level," he told reporters after briefing Bangkok-based Asean diplomats on the 24th SEA Games at the Foreign Ministry today.
Surawaut expressed hope that by the time the SEA Games starts, uncertainties in the military-ruled country would be resolved and athletes would have no problem competing.
Myanmar is expected to send 700 athletes and officials to the biennial games to be held in Nakhon Ratchasima, or widely known as Korat, from Dec 6 to 15.
..........
Surawaut also said preparations were in full swing to ensure all facilities were completed and ready to host the 9,000 athletes who would be competing in 43 sports during the Games.
He said 31 sports would be held in Korat while Con Buri and Bangkok would organise the rest.
To ensure the smooth running of the Games, the organisers had roped in students to act as volunteers and liaison officers, he said.
-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link available only:
http://www.bernama.com.my/
I believe the Junta has now accepted Gambari's visit:
UN chief to send special envoy to Burma
Calling on Burma's junta to be restraint on peaceful street protesters, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said he will dispatch his special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to the country in respond to the deteriorating situation there.
He called on the generals in Burma to cooperate fully with his mission in order to take advantage of the willingness of the UN to assist in the process of national reconciliation through dialogue, according to a statement issued by the spokesperson of the UN chief.
"Noting reports of the use of force and of arrests and beatings, the Secretary-General calls again on authorities to exercise utmost restraint towards the peaceful demonstrations taking place, as such action can only undermine the prospects for peace, prosperity and stability in Myanmar (Burma)," it said.
Gambari's last time in Burma was May 2006. He made his latest trip to Southeast Asia last month which brought him to see many senior officials of Asean members including Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram.
The special envoy briefed about his previous trip and mission to a meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday.
His briefing to the 15-member body previously said that the recent events were clear set back for the country.
Gambari has not yet got permission from Burmese leaders in Naypyidaw to get into the country. He needed to hang around in the region until he got a green right from the generals to begin his process, the UN Secretary General's spokesperson Marie Okabe told reporters at the UN Headquarters.
US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice supported the UN move saying the junta must issue visa for Gambari immediately and he should be allowed to see opposition leader including Aung San Suu Kyi while he was there.
The UN Security Council on Wednesday threw its support behind an expected visit by Gambari to Burma, hoping it will happen "as soon as possible."France's Ambassador to the UN Jean-Maurice Ripert, the council chairman for this month, told reporters after an emergency meeting that council members expressed "strong support" for Gambari's mission to Burma.
World leaders and ministers at the UN General Assembly condemned the crackdown in Rangoon which reportedly killed at least five people.
The United States and the European Union issued a joint statement decrying the assault on peaceful demonstrators and calling on the junta to open talk with democracy activists, including detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"The regime has reacted brutally to people who were simply protesting peacefully," Rice said.
"We really do call on the regime to cease all violence and to lay a framework, lay a foundation for a peaceful discussion so that there can be reconciliation and a return to a more free and democratic life for the people of Burma," she added.
Supalak G Khundee
The Nation, United Nations
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/27/regional/regional_30050437.php
There are very ominously very few reports getting out this morning. Last night, Thai TV channels were saying that internet and phone lines had all been cut to stop any more photos and reports getting out. Troops were also raiding hotels to root out foreign reporters.
The Irrawaddy is now carrying reports from this morning, but their server (not surprisingly) appears to be overloaded:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#28-03
The last report seems to ring really true. Myanmar Times doesn't even report the government's line, apart from social chit-chat about what the elite does in its free time. Mr Ross Dunkley is already under a cloud since his advertising department inadvertedly included the 'Killer Than Shwe' ad (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2644). Check for yourself:
http://www.mmtimes.com/
MCM launches NOW! fashion journal
http://www.mmtimes.com/no385/pic/02.gif
[Photo: Myanmar Times]
NOW! IS THE TIME: The chief executive officer of Myanmar Consolidated Media, Mr Ross Dunkley, slices into a cake to celebrate the introduction of Now! fashion journal a launch party at September 17.
The 52-page publication will hit newsstands every Monday and feature up-to-date news on celebrities and the latest fashions, as well as shopping guides and a section for men.
The launch party, held at House of Memories restaurant on U Wisara Road in Yangon, was attended by many celebrities and representatives from the local business community.
See other post on Myanmar Times:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17255&postcount=46
More on that magazine launch from Socialite:
http://www.mmtimes.com/no385/socialite.htm
You may need to scroll down this page some to find the text. The photos don't seem to have materialised. Perhaps Mr Snap was too busy with his blog photos for society pics this week!
Numerous reports, photos & updates. Be warned that you may not get to see photos due to apparent server overload:
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 28
Rangoon, Midday—Demonstrators gathered in front of the Trader Hotel around noon on Friday to start a peaceful march, a source told The Irrawaddy. The demonstration will be lead by politicians elected in the 1990 election that was nullified by the junta. A source said they will try to talk to the soldiers and ask them not to shoot at peaceful demonstrators. A large number of soldiers have been positioned around Sule Pagoda.
Rangoon, Morning—About 10 fire trucks took up positions around Rangoon’s City Hall on Friday morning, and about 12 empty military trucks were positioned at Bandoola Park, according to witnesses. Authorities have also blocked a main road with barbed wire leading to Sule Pagoda. Authorities also positioned security forces at Kandawgyi Park and the Livestock and Fisheries office in Kyeemyindaing Township, witnesses said. According to sources in Rangoon, representatives elected in the 1990 election (nullified by authorities) plan to lead a demonstration march on Friday.
Chanmyathazi Township, Mandalay; Thursday, 7:30 p.m.—Military troops raided Pauk Myaing Monastery in Mandalay at about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday while about 50 monks were praying in front of a Buddha image, sources close to the monastery said. The monks were knelling in prayer when attacked, beaten with batons and kicked with boots before being taken away by troops. The source said numerous monks were bleeding from the beatings. Most of the monks were arrested, but a few managed to escape.
When news of the raid spread, monks from other local monasteries began collecting weapons such as knives, spears and slingshots in an effort to defend themselves from raiding troops, the source said. Monks at all monasteries were urged to stand 24-hour guard to protect the monasteries. The monks said they will defend themselves if security forces attack monasteries, and they urged the public to join them.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#28-03
UN envoy to begin Burma trip Saturday
New York (dpa) - A UN envoy is to begin his trip to Burma Saturday to assess the crisis in that country where military authorities have cracked down on pro-democracy demonstrators, the United Nations said.
Burma's military junta agreed to receive Ibrahim Gambari, a UN spokeswoman said Thursday. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon received Burma's assurance that it would cooperate with Gambari, Marie Okabe said.
The pledge was made by Burma Foreign Minister Nyan Win, who was visiting New York and met with Ban, who called on Burma's government "to engage in a constructive dialogue" with Gambari "and to commit to a path of peaceful and inclusive national reconciliation," Ban's office said.
The United States demanded that Gambari be allowed to meet with all parties in the current turmoil, in which a week and a half of peaceful anti-government protests in Yangon have been met by the military junta with shootings, beatings and arrests.
Among those Gambari must be allowed access to are religious leaders, political detainees, and democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for years, the White House said.
US President George W Bush held an apparently unscheduled meeting Thursday with Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi of China, one of Burma's only allies, and called on Beijing to use its influence with Burma's junta to encourage it to peacefully transition to democracy, the White House said.
The meeting came on the same day in which the United States enacted sanctions against 14 top officials in Burma's regime.
The US Treasury Department placed the sanctions on the chief of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, Senior General Than Shwe, who also serves as defence minister and effectively rules the junta.
The sanctions freeze any assets and prohibit Americans and US companies from having business transactions with Shwe and the 13 others, including Lieutenant General Thein Sein, the acting prime minister, and Vice Senior General Maung Aye, the commander of the army.
The European Union has also begun considering sanctions on Burma.
"The world is watching the people of Burma take to the streets to demand their freedom, and the American people stand in solidarity with these brave individuals," Bush said.
..........
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122114
Death Toll
The death toll is higher than the junta stated as at least 30 people were killed by security forces two days ago, Lim Kit Siang, opposition leader in Malaysia's Parliament, said in an e- mailed statement today, citing an unidentified official in Myanmar's National League for Democracy.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ai5WDAVpiwiw&refer=home
As reported on some Thai TV stations last night:
Burma 'cuts all Internet links'
Oslo (dpa) - Burma disappeared from the entire Internet on Friday as more street confrontations were under way in Rangoon, the Oslo-based opposition radio station Democratic Voice of Burma said.
The state telecommunications company claimed there was a break in an underwater cable, according to reports.
Meanwhile, protesters were reported to have gathered near the Sule pagoda in Yangon, defying a ban issued by the army.
The move to cut Internet connections appeared to be aimed at preventing reports including photos and video footage from ongoing confrontations between protesters and the military from reaching the outside world, the station's news editor Moe Aye said in a telephone interview.
In Rangoon on Friday, the army blocked the main roads to the City Hall and were patrolling the downtown area by foot and in trucks.
Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122120
More raids on monasteries in Burma
Oslo (dpa) - At least two monasteries were raided overnight Friday in the former capital of Burma, the Oslo-based opposition radio station Democratic Voice of Burma said.
The radio station has been unable to establish how many monks were arrested in Rangoon, the station's news editor Moe Aye said in a telephone interview.
A school near the notorious Insein prison has also been converted into a temporary detention centre housing at least 300 monks, according to accounts received in Oslo.
"The army has ordered the monks to remove their robes, but the monks have refused," Moe Aye said, adding that the atmosphere was tense.
Late Thursday, angry crowds encircled soldiers who blocked off a monastery in South Okkalapa Township on the outskirts of Rangoon.
The crowds later dispersed after some sort of deal was reached, but the army was reported to have returned to the township and arrested people, specifically targeting young men, Moe Aye said.
People are very angry over the beating of the monks in connection with the crackdown that began Wednesday, according to the reports compiled in Oslo.
In Yangon Friday, the army has blocked the main roads to the City Hall and were patrolling the downtown area by foot and in trucks.
A confrontation was also brewing in North Okkalapa Township, while people were trying to regroup in parts of Yangon.
Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122118
Surayud finally calls for Burma restraint
(BangkokPost.com) Prime Minister Surayud called on the military rulers in Burma to stop using force to quell anti-government demonstrations.
"Thailand is gravely concerned with what we are seeing and hearing in Burma, " the prime minister declared Thursday in New York to the United Nations General Assembly.
He was heavily criticised in Thailand for ignoring the Burmese violence for almost three days before he finally issued the statement on Friday, Thailand time.
He called the use of violence against monks and demonstrators "unacceptable."
Meanwhile, some 500 people from civil and Buddhist networks submitted a letter to the Burmese embassy in Bangkok on Friday demanding its military government to release monks and protesters who were detained from mass rallies.
Rosana Tositrakul, the group's representative called on the Thai government to cooperate with ASEAN countries to pressure Burma to stop using violence to quell the protests and to release Aung San Suu Kyi.
She said Buddhism and monks are well-respected in Buddhist countries, so the junta should not use violence against them.
The mass protest in Rangoon left nine people killed on Thursday.
Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122119
http://www.mizzima.com/
September 28, 2007 - 5:20 p.m - Troops opened fire on more than 10,000 protesters in Pazuntaung at about 4 p.m (local time).
http://www.irrawaddy.org
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 28
Rangoon; Afternoon—Trucks loaded with troops raided the offices of Burma's main Internet service provider, Myanmar Info-Tech, located at Rangoon University (Hlaing campus) around noon on Friday in an effort to cut all public access to the internet. The move is in response to the flood of photographs, videos, news reports and e-mail sent out of the country to the international media and the rest of the world by average citizens.
Downtown Rangoon; Afternoon—At least two people were hit by gunfire when military troops opened fire on demonstrators on Friday afternoon in Kyauktada Township in central Rangoon, according to a witness, who said she narrowly escaped by hiding under a vehicle. She said the demonstrators were boxed in between Anawrahta Road and Maha Bandoola Road. Dozens of protesters were arrested, bound and beaten. The troops pursued fleeing people into buildings, she said, singling out people with cameras. If they were arrested, the troops beat them while shouting, “Is it you who sends those pictures out?”
Rangoon, 12:30p.m.—Burmese authorities announced they are to make house-by-house calls on homes in the area round the Sule Pagoda in downtown Rangoon, checking on residents. The Sule Pagoda is a rallying point of the demonstrations rocking Rangoon, and many protesters seek shelter in nearby homes. Residents were warned by loudspeaker on Friday morning to remain at home while the check takes place.
Rangoon; around 1 p.m.—Thousands of protesters have confronted soldiers and security forces near Sule Pagoda in Rangoon, a witness said. He added that he did not see any monks in the crowd, but when one monk came to support the demonstration, the protesters cheered the monk and raised him above their heads with their bare hands. The witness said that protesters appeared incensed over the recent crackdown on the monks and raids on monasteries.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#28-07
Burmese Junta propaganda:
http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/2007/09/burmese-junta-propaganda.html
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/Today-demonstration.html
Speculation over possible confrontation among Burmese generals
Troops marching to Rangoon
Burmese Air Force planes airborne
September 28, 2007
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
September 28, 2007 - Burmese Air Force planes airborne
Military aircrafts from the Matehtilar airbase are airborne. It is not known why the aircrafts have scrambled. On the other hand there is commotion in the Light Infantry Division 33 and 99 of the Burma Army. The exact nature of the commotion cannot be determined as yet.
Troops marching to Rangoon
There is an urgent report that Burmese troops from middle Burma has started to march towards Rangoon. The reported troops are from Central Command based in Taung Oo and South East Command. At this reporting, it is not clear if the troops are marching to reinforce or to challenge the troops in Rangoon for shooting the Buddhist monks.
September 28, 2007
Protests in Rangoon
(Burmese Standard Time)
1:50 p.m
Sporadic protest in Theingyi Market
"Earlier there were about 5000 protesters. They were closeted on the road near Theingyi market, so they disperses. We don't know where they will go and gather. We cannot see the other end but on this side there are three military trucks blocking the road. There are about 100 soldiers," an eyewitness told Mizzima.
1:30 p.m
The troops in Rangoon not backing off
"They went inside Maelahmu pagoda in North Okklapah Township. In front of the pagoda they parked a jeep which carried members of the Swan Arrshin. It is as if they are blocking the road not to allow any civilians to enter. There are about four military trucks, and I think they are putting people inside the trucks. The troops in Rangoon are not backing off but their numbers are increasing. And they are choosing places where the people are to be transfered," an analyst told Mizzima.
11:30 a.m
Situation in Rangoon
"A lot of people are saying that we must fight against the junta because we will not get the same opportunity later. We must end this show now. They were talking among themselves. And they were unhappy. A lot of people in the locality also talked the same way. They said even today they will continue," a source in Rangoon told Mizzima.
More than 30 security personnel in camouflage fatigues were seen inside the compound of Tharmwe basic high school No. 3 and N.4.
Though all government schools are open, most of the students did not attend.
Soldiers and security forces are seen continuously patrolling the city and barbed wire barricades have been put outside the police station in Kyauktada Township in the heart of the city. In the police station more soldiers and policemen are being sent as reinforcements. Many security personnel are deployed in the Sule area.
11:30 a.m
Junta arrest more monks including Sayadaw [senior Sangha] U Nyanihthara of Thapeikaing.
11:15 a.m
The Burmese authorities since this morning has disconnected all internet lines.
11:00 a.m
Decay in junta's administrative mechanism
"The Township Peace and Development offices are closed since yesterday. Some officials are avoiding office. Some have gone into hiding. The administrative mechanism is starting to decay and it is affecting up to the district level. We are not even daring to stay in our own house," a local resident of Tharmwe told Mizzima.
Than Shwe's family in Laos
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
September 27, 2007 - With rumours of Burma's military supremo Senior General Than Shwe's family fleeing to a foreign country making the rounds, among Burmese people, a chartered Air Bagan flight was spotted in Laos' capital city of Vientiane, an eyewitness told Mizzima.
The chartered Air Bagan flight carrying eight special passengers landed in Vientiane at 6 p.m (local time) on Thursday. Air Bagan is owned by Than Shwe's right hand business tycoon Tayza.
A source close to the Burmese military generals said the passengers were close relatives of Than Shwe including his wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing.
Than Shwe's family is on a visit to Laos, the source added.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/98-Sep-2007.html
I have had a few doubts about these Mizzima News reports, but they always say stuff like "a source/sources". Their Editor was talking on BBC World Service Radio this evening about his efforts to try and verify reports - saying that the rumor mill was making it more difficult:
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
Top two in junta divided
"Maung Aye and his loyalists are opposed to shooting into the crowd," a source close to the military hierarchy told Mizzima referring to the major differences that the head of junta Senior General Than Shwe and his second-in-command, Vice-Senior General Maung Aye have over the brutal crack down on protesters in Burma.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/Demon-28-Sep-%202007.html
But as New Mandala puts it:
Unconfirmed report from Burma
September 29th, 2007 by Nicholas Farrelly
I am not in the habit of spreading rumours but…
There have been a number of unverifiable pieces of information swirling around over the past 24 hours that suggest increasing division among the ranks of the Burmese Armed Forces. It has been very difficult to confirm what is going on. Some comments on New Mandala alluded to these issues but I have had trouble chasing down more concrete information…
However, I have just received a report from inside Burma that certain Light Infantry Divisions are possibly defying orders to fire on protests. The message I received reports that in Rangoon Light Infantry Division 66 “has joined with protestors” to “fight back” against Light Infantry Division 77 (which was involved in the recent carnage). In Mandalay, Light Infantry Division 33 has also reportedly “refused” to fire on the monks and “so Than Shwe and junta arranged to replace” it with Light Infantry Division 99. According to the report I have received, Light Infantry Battalion 33 has “decided to protect the protestors”.
Right now, it is impossible to confirm any of these reports and I imagine that journalists around the world will be trying to get better information about the status of the various Light Infantry Divisions.
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/newmandala/2007/09/29/unconfirmed-report-from-burma/
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=736&Itemid=32
[QUOTE] The business world beats a quiet path to a pariah’s door John Berthelsen
28 September 2007
'Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does.' – Jane Austen
While the world for the last three weeks has had China in its gunsights for its economic support of Burma's repressive junta, the fact is that under the radar, half the countries in Asia are helping to prop up the dictatorship, either through government help or through the sub rosa support of their business communities -- including Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Thailand and India, among others. That is a partial list at best, evading sanctions put in place by western governments, many of which ultimately are the end users of the products coming out of Burma in the form of re-exports from China and other countries.
Burmese expatriates and protesters have been holding demonstrations, candlelight vigils, online petitions and other demonstrations of support in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, Finland, the US, the UK and other countries. But in the meantime, business is business. As the pariah government prepared Friday to intensify its crackdown, which so far has killed at least 10 people and probably many more, sealing off Buddhist monasteries and dragging hundreds of nonviolent protesters off to prisons, business appears to be continuing as usual. On September 23 India’s petroleum minister Murli Deora visited Burma as tens of thousands of protesters thronged Rangoon’s streets, He made no statements or observations to either the domestic or foreign press. However, during his visit, three bilateral agreements for deep exploration in oil blocs were signed. ONGC Videsh, a subsidiary of India’s state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corp has pledged to invest nearly US$150 million for gas exploration in the Rakhaine coast of Burma.
Burma’s extractive industries – crude oil, natural gas, tropical hardwoods, minerals such as zinc, copper, tungsten, lead and others—are far too precious for the region’s businesses and governments to pass up. According to the CIA World Factbook, updated to 2006, Burma’s annual exports amounted to only US$3.56 billion, a paltry amount that is probably grossly underestimated because of the value of vast amounts of timber, rice, narcotics and precious gems such as jade that are smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh. After China, Thailand and Singapore are listed by Burma’s Ministry of Commerce as the country’s second and third largest trading partners. Among those after the resources, according to Human Rights Watch, are Daewoo International, Korea Gas Corp., Gas Authority of India (Gail), ONGC Videsh, Essar Group of India, and many, many more.
The Thai junta leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin got it about right when he stunned human rights activists with his blunt comments this week that Thailand wouldn't oppose the junta because they would lose out on natural resources. "In fact, the Burmese government has many friendly nations who stand ready to help, including China and Korea, because Myanmar is a nation with a wealth of natural resources; many superpowers want to go in," the general told TITV. "Therefore, no matter what happens to that country, many countries are secretly protecting it. This is the intelligence of some superpowers with whom we [Thailand] are friendly. If we get involved, our relationship with them may be damaged." (link to: http://www.fringer.org/?p=279). His comments were roundly criticized in the Thai press, including leading English-language daily Bangkok Post.
"Gen Sonthi's comments belie the fragile nature of our own respect for basic human rights and freedoms," the Post said. "While no country, the US and the UK included, has a completely clear conscience to lecture on the rights set out under the UN Charter, defending such brutal suppression of innocent civilians, political opponents and monks is unacceptable."
Even so, Sonthi does have a point. Thailand receives about a third of its natural gas from Burma's Gulf of Martaban. Without it, millions would go without electricity until Thailand switched its power plants to run on costly bunker oil, which would increase everyone's monthly power bills. Burma plays a significant role in Thailand's energy future, just as it does for China and South Korea. So although Sonthi's comments were appalling, he managed to say in public what other leaders would only say in private. Thailand takes a full 38 percent of Burma’s external trade, followed by India at 14 percent and China at 10 percent, although those figures are undoubtedly skewed by smuggling and illicit trade.
Continued in next post
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=736&Itemid=32
Continued from previous post:
Singapore in particular is a significant contributor to Burma’s economy and has been virtually since 1988, right after the original crackdown, when Singapore government companies including Singapore Technologies, the state-owned supplier of military arms and equipment, was first into the field according to Andrew Selth, an Australian political analyst and one of the world’s leading authorities on the Burmese military. But more, Singapore Inc, as the country’s government-linked businesses are known, has been investing in hotels, airlines, resorts and other infrastructure. For the 2006-7 financial year ended in March, Singapore was listed by Burma’s Ministry of Commerce as the third-largest trading partner behind Thailand and China, with bilateral trade for the year totaling $1.21 billion. The government is also believed to have provided crowd control equipment and sophisticated telecoms monitoring devices, for which Singapore itself is famous for spying on its own citizens. As Asia Sentinel reported on Sept. 4, Singapore’s banks are believed to be the repositories of vast amounts of laundered cash. Asia World, a Singaporean company, is a major construction contractor, and much of Singapore’s investment in Burma is linked to that company.
Burmese officials, in addition to allegedly squirreling their money away in Singaporean banks, also visit regularly. The 74 year-old junta strongman Than Shwe has been treated for intestinal cancer in Singapore government hospital. According to The Nation newspaper in Bangkok, Than Shwe flew his wife and other members of his family out to Singapore before the current situation in Rangoon got bloody. Soe Win, Burma’s prime minister is being treated in a Singapore hospital today.
Korea is also a major player, both officially and not. As Asia Sentinel reported in mid-August, Daewoo International Corp., which holds 60 percent of three natural gas fields in Burma, announced that it had found as much as 219.2 billion cubic meters of exploitable gas, the biggest gas reserve that a Korean company has ever discovered. Daewoo International said at the time that it was then in talks with the Burmese government on how and to whom to sell the gas produced there – just about the time the first serious protests got underway in Burma over the five-fold increases in energy prices the government suddenly introduced. The Korean government wants the gas to be liquefied and delivered by ship to Korea, which imports most of its oil and gas. The state-run Korea Gas Corp. has a 10-percent stake in the fields. The remaining 30-percent stake is held by two Indian companies ― Oil & Natural Gas and state-owned Gail India Ltd.
According to Daewoo International’s statement, Gaffney, Cline and Associates, an international energy consultant with offices in the UK, the US, Singapore, Australia, Argentina and Russia, certified that three fields in the western sea off Burma have about 4.5 trillion to 7.7 trillion cubic feet of exploitable gas in total. The company discovered the fields between 2004 and 2006. Based on that estimate, Daewoo International said it could supply 600 million cubic feet of gas per day, or 3.7 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year, for 20 to 25 years. The company added it would take less money and time to provide the gas to neighboring countries through pipelines.
In addition, in December 2006, 14 officers of seven Korean companies were charged with allegedly exporting defense equipment and technology to Burma in violation of Korea’s export control laws, using export documents that prosecutors said listed the equipment as for purposes other than military use. The 14 are currently on trial. A government official told Korean media that eight had admitted that they had built the illegal arms factory, but that they didn’t know it was illegal.
In particular, the Korean prosecutors identified Daewoo International Corp and Doosan Infracore as two of the companies, which allegedly struck a deal in 2002 with the Burmese government to manufacture at lest six types of artillery shells in the tens of thousands of rounds. The other companies were allegedto hve provided technology and equipment for components of the shells. The contract allegedly covered the weapons plant, related and equipment worth US$133 million.
From Hong Kong, Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, the flagship of tycoon Li Ka-shing, operates Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa (MITT), a major port in Burma. It describes these port terminals as “strategically positioned to facilitate and service Myanmar’s international trade.” Kerry Logistics Group, owned by the Kuok Group, is a goods transport logistics company with branches in 12 countries, including the UK. Kerry Logistics also operates in Burma, facilitating the export of Burmese goods. Kerry Logistics is part of the Singaporean conglomerate, Kuok Group. From Japan, Mitsui is a Japanese conglomerate with interests ranging from metals and mining to electronic goods, insurance, clothes and chemicals. Mitsui is in a joint venture with the Burmese regime in the Mingaladon Industrial Park, which was set up to attract foreign investors to Burma. Mitsui OSK Lines a global business concerned with marine shipping and logistics in what it calls a ‘truly borderless transportation network that brings goods to market all over the world’. Rangoon is described as one of the company’s major calling ports. Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, one of Japan’s largest non-life insurers with a workforce of over 13,000 and a net income in 2006 of over 124,000 million yen, maintains a representative office in Rangoon.
From Malaysia, Petronas, the state-owned oil and gas company, has several oil and gas contracts to extract and explore for oil and gas in Burma. In addition, in 2003, Fortune Magazine reported that Malaysian diplomat Razali Ismail, the UN special envoy to Burma, with a remit to nudge the country’s military rulers towards a transition to democracy, was chairman of Iris Technologies, a Malaysian company that is introducing electronic-passport technology at Rangoon’s government-run airport. Razali is also a director of Wah Seong, a Malaysian engineering group that owns a trading company with real estate interests in Rangoon, and of Leader Universal Holdings, a cable, fiber-optics, and telecom-equipment firm that at the time was seeking business in Burma. A Leader spokesman confirmed to Fortune that senior executives were meeting with junta leaders. A fourth company on whose board Razali sits, water treatment group Salcon Engineering, has exhibited at a trade show in Yangon. Razali did not respond to Fortune’s requests for an interview.
With reporting by Daniel Ten Kate, Eric Ellis and Nava Thakuria
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=736&Itemid=32
Asean MPs: Expel Burma, shun China
Published on September 29, 2007
Asean should immediately expel Burma from its membership and people should consider boycotting next year's Beijing Olympics, said Datu Zaid Ibrahim, president of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC), yesterday.
His tough stance was backed by signatures of a hundred MPs and senators from Asean nations.
"If Asean feel it's unable to do very much then the least they can do is to disassociate themselves from this regime. They should expel Burma for its own credibility, effectiveness and future. They have to do more," Zaid told a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand in Bangkok yesterday, as the killing of unarmed protesters continued into the third day.
"If this cannot move Asean then I do not know what will become of Asean. We cannot shoulder, we cannot protect Burma anymore."
Zaid who flew to Bangkok for the urgent press conference, said Asean should try to work in concert with the US, the EU and other partners to pressure China, which has a huge influence over Burma due to the economic and military support Beijing gives to the regime.
Calling the junta "very horrendous, very gruesome", Zaid said time was running out for the international community to save lives in Burma.
"More and more people will be killed unless the world community acts and acts very quickly."
Former senator Kraisak Choon-havan, also a member of the caucus, attacked both the Thai junta leader and its appointed prime minister for their stance towards Rangoon.
"Is this sanity?" asked Kraisak, in reference to the position of the Thai junta and its regime's stance towards its neighbour.
"Burma should be expelled from Asean immediately. If you can't do much, then the least you can do is to clean your hands."
The former senator also said the Thai monastic community should do something because even the Cambodian Buddhist clergy has already condemned the killing of monks and protesters in Cambodia.
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/29/politics/politics_30050709.php
Asean MPs: Expel Burma, shun China
Published on September 29, 2007
Asean should immediately expel Burma from its membership and people should consider boycotting next year's Beijing Olympics, said Datu Zaid Ibrahim, president of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC), yesterday.
His tough stance was backed by signatures of a hundred MPs and senators from Asean nations.
"If Asean feel it's unable to do very much then the least they can do is to disassociate themselves from this regime. They should expel Burma for its own credibility, effectiveness and future. They have to do more," Zaid told a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand in Bangkok yesterday, as the killing of unarmed protesters continued into the third day.
"If this cannot move Asean then I do not know what will become of Asean. We cannot shoulder, we cannot protect Burma anymore."
Zaid who flew to Bangkok for the urgent press conference, said Asean should try to work in concert with the US, the EU and other partners to pressure China, which has a huge influence over Burma due to the economic and military support Beijing gives to the regime.
Calling the junta "very horrendous, very gruesome", Zaid said time was running out for the international community to save lives in Burma.
"More and more people will be killed unless the world community acts and acts very quickly."
Former senator Kraisak Choon-havan, also a member of the caucus, attacked both the Thai junta leader and its appointed prime minister for their stance towards Rangoon.
"Is this sanity?" asked Kraisak, in reference to the position of the Thai junta and its regime's stance towards its neighbour.
"Burma should be expelled from Asean immediately. If you can't do much, then the least you can do is to clean your hands."
The former senator also said the Thai monastic community should do something because even the Cambodian Buddhist clergy has already condemned the killing of monks and protesters in Cambodia.
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/29/politics/politics_30050709.php
I'd also like to revisit a post I made right back at the beginning of this thread first thing this morning, in an attempt to draw comment on what ordinary people can do about this near 'civil war'. This is prompted by the sentiments expressed above about the possibility of competitors acting on their individual conscience to consider boycotting the next Olympic Games. I should also say I would favor the removal of Burma from ASEAN. I often wonder how it got into the organization in the first place! (Well! ..... I don't really! The resource-richness of Burma is irresistible to the big-business pig troughers):
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17383&postcount=1
This Chinese government comment (below) cannot even remotely be considered as a serious and direct response. China IS in a bit of a fix over this crisis. Whichever way it turns, it is likely to be criticised for its action, and to lose face. But if China wants to be considered as a true superpower, it is going to have to get used to making uncomfortable decisions. But to be fair, this inadequate response is far from being restricted to China. One might even say that there isn't a single country in the world that is prepared to take realistic steps to confront the Junta in Myanmar/Burma.
China urges restraint in Burma standoff
Beijing (dpa) - China on Thursday urged Burma's military leaders to exercise restraint in handling anti-government protesters and voiced its support for UN mediation between the two sides.
"We hope that the parties will exercise restraint and properly handle the situation so as to avoid any complication or escalation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.
"We hope that the international community will provide constructive assistance to allow the relaxation of the situation," Jiang said.
The UN Security Council failed to agree on a joint statement on Burma Wednesday because of Chinese objections, but China supported the mission to Burma by envoy Ibrahim Gambari.
Jiang said China also wanted to see Burma "devoted to improving its welfare and national harmony" and restore stability by "properly handling its domestic social contradictions."
China's ruling Communist Party has close links to Burma's ruling junta and has strategic and security interests in the country.
But Chinese leaders make regular public statements supporting gradual democratic reform in Myanmar.
Some Western diplomats and analysts believe China has already put pressure on the junta not to use excessive force against the recent protesters.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122089
I would like to try and use this thread to explore ways in which both the international community and individuals can do to bring this 'civil war' to an end. I don't have any real confidence in the ability of countries and international groups to deal with this crisis. Their hands are pretty much tied behind their backs by what they feel is the constant necessity to appease the 'business' god. And I am aware that some Burmese opposition groups argue that it is better to deal with multinationals like TOTAL than with Chinese companies who have absolutely no policy at all to interact with the communities in which their extractive industries work.
So perhaps it is better to discuss what individuals can do. It is worth noting that many individuals have long tried to take action against the Junta in their own small way. The result is obviously unsatisfactory, but seems to be somewhat better than anything that governments & international organizations have attempted to date.
So here are a couple of suggestions that are already in circulation.
A boycott of the upcoming Olympic Games in China. China is undoubtedly ONE of the states best placed to influence the Junta. Realistically, I wouldn't expect states to get in on this act. But if enough individuals decided they didn't want to compete in this games, it could have an impact on China's showcase Olympics. Part of the reason that China is pussyfooting on this issue is because it is aware that its Olympics have already been jeopardised by the Darfur crisis. (BBC World Service Radio carried an interview with Laura Bush this morning. The US President's wife mentioned China's Olympic Games in a way that was obviously designed to carry a boycott threat, but never actually made it explicit.)
An individual boycott of Chinese goods. Never an easy option. How does one distinguish a Chinese product?
The problem with both of these ideas is that they do not meet the problem head on.They are also NOT immediate enough to stop the current slaughter. And, of course, we already know that embargoes do actually have a negative impact on the people we would like to try and help.
I think we all have times when we feel that we would like to take some individual action or make some lone complaint, but we are also aware that our actions can easily turn out to be irresponsible in their own right. (Darfur and Zimbabwe certainly spring to mind here. Indeed, even the parlous state of Thai politics - in which public desires are almost always dinned out by the kleptocratic ways of political factions and dynasties.) Many of us are constantly aware that this is not our country, not our region. But then given the fact that a lot of us no longer have any real ties to the country we were born in, it shouldn't be too surprising that we do have opinions on the place where we either choose to live or even that we are forced to live in out of political or economic necessity.
Willing to be shot down in flames over this one!
Photos prove Burma atrocities
Satellite pictures taken in 2000 and 2006 show that villages have been replaced by military sites at some 25 locations across eastern Burma, just as eye-witnesses had said.
Links:
AAAS:
http://www.aaas.org/
Google Earth:
http://www.aaas.org/international/geotech/ge/burma/burma_results.kml
Full report with all photos (PDF format)
http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2007/media/0928burma_report.pdf
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) says high resolution satellite photos show evidence of destroyed villages, forced relocations and a growing military presence in 25 sites across Karen state and surrounding areas.
The AAAS said that the satellite photos offered the first physical evidence of eye-witness accounts of human-Rights abuses and the destruction of villages by the secretive military regime, which has ruled Burma for more than 45 years.
Project director Lars Bromley said the non-profit group looked at photos taken before and after reported attacks on ethnic minorities. He said 18 villages had almost entirely disappeared. Others had appeared near a military camp in what researchers concluded was a forced relocation.
The photos confirm accounts researchers received from eye-witnesses and human rights groups. The scientists, who have used similar techniques to investigate abuses in Sudan's Darfur region and Zimbabwe, are supported by the Open Society and the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation.
Fresh fighting was reported in April in eastern Burma, which has been the center of ethnic conflict for years. The rebel Karen National Union has been fighting for an independent homeland along the Thai border for nearly six decades.
US lawmakers rebuked Burma for blocking humanitarian assistance to the region. They claimed the military government destroyed more than 3,000 villages in eastern Burma during a campaign against ethnic Karen rebels. (Agencies)
may expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122138
Is this a case of China indicating that it will bend to outside pressure in return for less opposition to its policy on Taiwan? Its bound to look like that if you bring this issue up at the same time as a major UN push on Burma:
China asks world to stop Taiwan UN bid
New York (dpa) - China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi asked the United Nations Friday to "oppose and repulse" Taiwan's campaign to gain UN membership, and warned countries supporting Taiwan of their mistake.
Yang spoke strongly about not permitting any challenges to the so- called "one China" policy and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, which in 1971 ousted the Republic of China on Taiwan from the UN and gave the seat to the People's Republic of China.
The Republic of China was one of 50 founders of the world body in 1945 when it was still in power in mainland China. But communist forces under Mao Zedong defeated nationalist troops under Chiang Kaishek, leader of the Republic of China, and drove them to the island of Taiwan in 1949.
"We hope the international community will continue to support China's cause of peaceful reunification, support the Chinese people in opposing and repulsing separatist activities for 'Taiwan independence' and work with us to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asian Pacific region," Yang said in an address to the UN General Assembly.
The Taipei government this year reissued its application to enter the world organization under the name of Taiwan, dropping the name of the Republic of China that it used in applications for the past 14 years in an effort to distance itself from mainland China.
Beijing authorities considered the Taiwanese move a further indication of it moving toward independence, which Beijing strongly opposes and has threatened to use force to stop.
"If unchecked, this move will gravely endanger peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asian Pacific region," he said. He said his government will "never" allow separation from Taiwan.
Yang used the opportunity of his presence in the UN to warn the 24 small and impoverished nations that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan to "stop making such erroneous moves."
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122139
Article too long to paste here:
http://www.mizzima.com/Solidarity/2006/January/26-Jan-06-02.htm
Understanding the Burma's SPDC Generals
Bo Kyaw Nyein
Objective:
This paper was written to help understand the "Burmese way of Thinking", especially the street-smart raw thinking of the Burmese generals in contrast to western ways of intellectual thinking, analysis and forming ideas and policies based on established political science theories, case studies, logic and facts.
..........
War zone, where only one side has guns
Protests in Rangoon against junta
Soldiers tighten security perimeter, gear up for fresh crackdown
Mizzima reporter in Rangoon
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
September 29, 2007 - It resembles a chaotic urban war zone with the Burma Army preparing to crush the people’s movement with a heavy hand.
The command centre and the soldiers are positioned in Sule pagoda. At least 12 army trucks could be seen near the Sule pagoda in front of the City Hall. The police station on Sule Road is cordoned off by barbed wire.
The bridges leading to the city centre are closed to prevent protesters from entering. The my appears ready to violently suppress any protest inside the greater downtown area to the bridges. The city centre is largely paralyzed this morning. Shops owners would be lucky if they can open for two or three hours in the morning.
The state television is now showing troop movements. It could be a sign that the junta is feeling more secure. The junta is methodically and systematically pushing the security perimeter outwards. Last night it was up to Bogyoke Aung San Street to the north and China town to the west.
A run down of what happened yesterday in downtown Rangoon.
It is difficult to estimate the number of protesters as they appeared in groups of a few hundred and were fractured. They [the protesters] were desperately looking for someone to lead them. If these few agitating groups persist, I fear they will just be slaughtered because the regime will try and clean up everything as best as they can before letting Gambari in," an older protester said.
The people were no longer clapping and encouraging the demonstrators as they had done earlier though they still watch and gather but the active demonstrators are now isolated. People will not talk as readily either, as government informers are said to be everywhere.
A few hundred protesters with the red and gold peacock emblazoned flag proceeded down Anawrattha Road to Shwebontha Street. From there they quickly fled back to Shwedagonpagoda Road after cheering for several minutes.
Five army trucks showed up on Shwebontha Street. About 20 soldiers are in each truck with eight sitting on each side, three in front and one in the rear. They all had their guns pointing outside at civilians and pedestrians.
A speech was delivered through a megaphone mounted on a little truck packed with members of the USDA and Swan Arrshin armed with batons.
In a chilling warning to the people they said that more people would die if they did not work together with the army for peace.
At one point it sounded like a recording of yesterday’s shots being replayed.
About 50 soldiers broke off and marched through town heading west on Mahabandoola Street. Three to five rounds of firing from automatic weapons sent us running past the Chinatown market for cover. At this point it appeared shots were fired in the air.
A military convoy went down Merchant Street heading west to confront what appeared to be the same groups of protesters who gathered had earlier on Anawrattha Street. The soldiers were led by members of the USDA and Swan Arrshin with in a van.
Fire engines and police vans could be seen. Soldiers sent civilians and non protesters running for cover as everyone is terrified of the army.
Several rounds of automatic rifle fire and at least one round of tear gas were fired in the direction of protesters. The acrid smell of gunfire hung in the air for several minutes.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/101-Sep-2007.html
Jromerz
29-09-07, 04:02 PM
Ethnic minorities in the east of the country are running out of options:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPSsKcpxJMk
UN envoy's arrival leads to arrests in Burma
Rangoon (dpa) - Burmese soldiers rounded up about 40 civilians and put them in military trucks Saturday outside the Rangoon hotel in which visiting United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari was allegedly planning to spend the night.
Soldiers detained more than 40 people who had gathered outside the Trader Hotel in downtown Rangoon, cutting short a planned protest for Gambari, who was scheduled to arrive in the city at 3:30 pm (0900 GMT).
At least four men were seen bound and kneeling in front of soldiers outside the hotel, before being placed on two trucks with others, witnesses said.
Hundreds of armed soldiers had taken over the streets of Rangoon Saturday, hunkering down behind barbed wire at strategic spots.
At noon the city was remarkably peaceful, enjoying its first lull in almost two weeks of increasingly violent protests against the ruling junta and the country's deteriorating economy.
Sources said protesters may have put off their demonstrations until after the arrival of Gambari who was scheduled to fly in from Singapore on Silk Air flight 518.
Gambari has been assigned by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make an assessment of the situation in Burma after almost two months of sporadic and persistent protests against the country's military regime who have lorded over this once prosperous South-East Asian nation for the past 45 years.
Gambari, who last visited Burma in May 2006, is expected to seek talks with religious leaders, political detainees and democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for more than four years.
.............
May soon expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122155
Burmese security shoot, kick Singaporean
Singapore (dpa) - A Singaporean man working in Burma was shot with rubber bullets and kicked by riot police, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said Saturday.
"Our embassy in Rangoon has offered to visit him and arrange medical treatment," the ministry's statement said.
The embassy has also offered assistance for him and his family to leave.
"Singapore is appalled and shocked by this act of wanton violence," the ministry said. "It underscores the need for the (Burmese) authorities to exercise utmost restraint and desist from the use of force."
Burmese nationals living in Singapore in messages urged compatriots to dress in red to show solidary with the monks and others protesting the military regime.
"We chose red because that represents the blood they have shed for our people, the country and our future," said Zeyar Lin Aung, who works in Singapore.
Zeyer and others have prepared a petition urging strong action against Burma's military government. They plan to submit it to the Singapore government.
Hundreds of Burmese nationals working in the city-state have been gathering at Buddhist temples, offering prayers for peace and stability for their country.
In an e-mail sent to The Straits Times, the injured Singaporean said he was on the way to his office Thursday when riot police blocked the road. He stopped the car and got out with his wife.
"Suddenly, riot police and soldiers drove the truck around the corner and started firing shots at the crowd," said the man, who requested anonymity as he feared for his safety.
The couple ran to one side and crouched down.
"I was shot twice, but I did not know what hit me," he said, adding that his legs were bruised by 40-millimetre riot control munitions, known as rubber bullets.
He was forced into a drain with other members of a crowd for 15 minutes.
"They just shot at us for no reason," he said.
Link may expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122144
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
Than Shwe's right hand man Tayza-owned
Htoo Company shut-down
Fourth straight day of defying military - Protestors beaten
September 29, 2007
Protest in Yangon
Mizzma News (www.mizzima.com)
(Burmese Standard Time)
4:00 p.m
Tayza owned Htoo company shut-down
Senior General Than Shwe's right hand man business tycoon Tayza owned Htoo trading company shut-down its operations since yesterday after giving two months salaries to its staff.
"After giving us two month's salary, we were asked not to come to office. They told us to contact the company in November," a staff working at the Htoo company told Mizzima.
3:50 p.m
Number of protesters increase in Rangoon
With more people joining in, protesters in Rangoon have swelled to more than 10,000. As security forces continue to beat and crackdown, protestors flee shouting slogans and again gather in different places. Troops stood about 50 metres from the protesters. As the clapping of the protesters reverberates the army is getting ready to open fire.
Soldiers open fire on protestors near Sanpya cinema hall. The number of injuries and casualties remained unconfirmed.
3:00 p.m
Soldiers and security forces are conducting a search on by passers on the 40th street in downtown Rangoon.
2:30 p.m
Protest in Rangoon
About 2,000 protestors are now marching on the Merchant Street in the heart of Rangoon and are shouting slogans of "Peoples' desires must be fulfiledl". Soldiers and police are reportedly rounding up the protestors and arresting them.
The situation is a run and chase situation between the soldiers and the protestors. The protestors would run when the soldiers chase them after but again gather in other places nearby.
"So far there is no shooting yet. Soldiers are rounding up the protestors and arresting them whoever they get in that place. The protestors run and again gathered near Theingyi market and again protested there. They are again shouting slogans, and again the soldiers are rounding them up. There are about 1000 protestors but there are many more onlookers around," an eyewitness told Mizzima.
1:45 p.m
Situations in townships in Rangoon Division
Hlaing Township
Soldiers last night went to ward No. (8) in Hlaing Township to raid a Buddhist monastery but the soldiers had to return back because the locals raised their voices against the protesters.
San Chaung Township
U Thet Wai, Chairman of the NLD San Chaung Township was arrested last night by authorities.
Hleku Township
Six 'Dyna" light trucks, which bear no number plates, with people dressed in plainclothes are seen heading towards Rangoon from Hleku Township.
Kyimyindine Township
Two persons wounded by bullets and a dead child was seen in Kyimyindine hospital. Hospital authorities refused to hand over the corpse of the dead child, when the parents requested for burial, and instead they demanded the recommendation of the District Chairman from the parents of the child.
1:15 p.m
Situation in Rangoon Today
About 500 Soldiers from Regiment No. 66, security forces, and police are stationed at the Sule Pagoda.
At least 20 "Dyna" light vehicles, which have no number plates, and believed to be used for the transport of the arrested protesters, are also seen parking near the security forces.
Several other special police with red ribbons on their necks could also be seen about 100 yards away from the soldiers.
"They are quite relaxed, but are fully equipped. Some are in stand-by but many remain sitting and many onlookers are watching them in awe. It looks like that there would be less protests today," an observer told Mizzima.
About 20 security men are stationed at the eastern gate of Shwedagon pagoda. After the shootings and killings at the Pagoda previous days, the Tarmway-Kyaikkasan road, connecting Rangoon with Thingankyun and South Okklapah townships was blocked.
Situation in Rangoon is near to normal with most civilians continuing their daily work.
UN Secretary-General's Special envoy to Burma, Ibrahim Gambari will arrive today, a UN statement said.
The World body chief, Ban Ki-moon in a statement said he has called on the Burmese military government "to engage in a constructive dialogue with his Special Adviser and to commit to a path of peaceful and inclusive national reconciliation."
Gambari, who has made two earlier visits to the military-ruled Southeast Asian nation in 2006, is currently in Singapore meeting official of the Foreign Ministry.
Kyaikkasan Road killing field
A letter sent from Rangoon, titled "Killings on September 27," said many protesters were killed on Kyaikkasan Road near State High School No. 3 at about 3 p.m. on Thursday.
"When the protesters were marching to the North, the army blocked the intersection near Super One Supermarket. When the protesters turned back to the South, then another group of soldiers blocked the road near Tarmway Junction. The troops hit and removed three leading protesters holding flags. Then they opened fire on the protesters from both sides," the letter added.
September 29, 2007
Protests across Burma
(Burmese Standard Time)
3:20 p.m
Intelligence officers have rounded up the residence of U Ko Gyi, Chairman of the NLD Mandalay division.
2:50 p.m
Protest in Mogoke
At least 11 trucks of army and police are seen patrolling in Mogoke town in Mandalay Division, where big demonstrators took place in recent days. The army battalions currently stationed in the town are a replacement of previous battalions that faced the hugh public protests but did not shoot the protesters.
Yesterday, more than 8, 000 monks and people marched through the streets of Mogoke in protest against the government, according to witnesses reports.
Starting from Phaungdaw Oo at about 2:00 p.m (local time), the protesters marched through the town and shouted slogans such as "End to torture against humans", "May love prevail in the world", "May the will of the people be fulfilled".
The protestors marched through Phaungdaw Oo on the cinema road, Aung Chan Thar, Shwegonthar, and Peik Syway wards.Though security forces confronted the protesters at Aung Chan Thar ward, the protestors avoided the confrontation and dispersed off themselves peacefully.
12:00 noon
Preparing for in Monywa
As a preparation to crackdown on possible protesters, the authorities in Monywa of Sagaing Division have hired at least 10 persons from each locality and have gathered them together at the City Hall in Yonegyi ward, near the Township police station today.
A local resident explained Mizzima of the situation in Monywa.
"Authorities have ordered to each locality (wards) to send at least 3 fire fighters, 3 members of Swan Arrshin, and 3 USDA members. They are paid 1500 kyat each. And these people have nothing to do, they are now put together in the City Hall. They sleep there in the City Hall, they come back in the morning, and so far they are not instructed to do anything yet. It looks like they are kept as standby ready to crack down the demonstrators if any."
"The authorities collected the money from the local people. Each household has to pay 500 kyat. The authorities had demanded for the people to be recruited since three days ago. But most of those who went recruited are drunkards and junks, those who would not live for too long."
"And the Ward Chairmen are summoned for a meeting every night at the City Hall. The Chairmen and secretaries have to attend all the meetings. And it is said that those who fail to attend the meeting will have to pay from their monthly salaries. I don't know how much salaries of these ward chairmen. It has been about a week now since they call for regular meetings at night. And the meeting was called by Major Myint Naing from Regiment No. 50, that is posted in Chin State."
Monywa town has at least 30 wards.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
Japan demands answers from Burma
Tokyo (dpa)- The Japanese government has condemned the killing of a Japanese journalist in the anti-government protests in Burma and demanded an explanation from the military junta, reports said Saturday.
Japanese foreign minister Masahiko Koruma protested in the strongest terms at the killing of the 50-year-old journalist, Kenji Nagai, with his Burmese counterpart at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Japanese press agency Kyodo reported Saturday.
Koruma also demanded an account of the circumstances surrounding the journalist's death. As far as could be gleaned from media reports, he was shot at close range and was not caught in crossfire, he said.
Nyan Win has reportedly apologized for the journalist's death.
According to reports in the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun, the reporter was filming the protests Thursday at the Sule Pagoda, which has been a focal point for several of the demonstrations in Rangoon, when a military commander ordered soldiers to shoot.
Nagai filmed the soldiers chasing protestors and then fled, but was pursued by a soldier who then shot him at close range.
A Japanese doctor who examined his body said that the bullet had pierced his heart, according to the reports.
Komura said he was sending Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka to Burma and Nyan Win said he would like to hold solid discussions with Yabunaka, according to the officials.
Nyan Win claimed the anti-government protests were organized by foreign elements aimed at the timing of the United Nations General Assembly, the Japanese officials said.
Komura, in turn, was quoted as saying: "Even if that is the case, demonstrations of this magnitude would not have been staged if people (in Burma) had not been filled with a sense of dissatisfaction."
Komura stressed the importance of seeking a solution through dialogue with anti-government forces and promoting democratization, according to the officials.
Komura asked Nyan Win to have the Burmese junta government offer concrete measures to improve the situation during a visit by Ibrahim Gambari, a special adviser to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, which began on Saturday.
Nyan Win was quoted as telling Komura that he would convey the message to the capital, Kyodo reported.
Komura held separate talks with Ban at the UN headquarters and the two leaders shared the view that the international community should be united in urging the Burmese junta to exercise restraint and promote democracy, the reports said.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122162
http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/news/images/cartoon_sept29.gif
[Cartoon: http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/]
http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/
The Irrawaddy may wisely not be saying it, but the following could well have been a malicious attack by a state that has such a sophisticated internet-monitoring capacity, and which is so close to the Chinese with their recent known movement towards developing internet warfare capacity. I recommend you give your machine the virus once over if you have been visiting sites such as this in the last day or two:
The Irrawaddy’s Web site Disabled by Virus
By Saw Yan Naing
September 29, 2007—The Web site of The Irrawaddy News Magazine, a Chiang Mai-based Burmese news agency, was infected by a virus beginning on September 27.
The attack of unknown origin tried to spread the so-called “Trojan Horse” virus into the site as well as to Web site visitors.
Rest assured. If you view our Web site, you will not receive a virus. There is no danger to your computer as you view The Irrawaddy Web site. You will be automatically redirected to a safe mirror site addressed as www.irrawaddymedia.com.
A “trojan” virus is a type that usually masquerades as something else—an image, a video file or the like.
A quick investigation by The Irrawaddy’s technical staff revealed that a malicious code had been inserted into the site’s main page. This led to a virtual ‘traffic jam.’
The code caused browsers to download hidden files in the background, eating up all available bandwidth on the server.
It is still not known whether the virus was infected via e-mails or a direct hack to the server. E-mail messages hosting on The Irrawaddy’s server and files inside the server getting infected.
When some readers browsed our site, they got infected. The virus also caused slow internet connections, according to our research. The site had been attacked since Thursday and was totally down for a few hours on Saturday.
The Irrawaddy is an independent and non-profit news organization not affiliated with any political opposition group or government and was established in 1993 by Burmese exile journalists.
The Irrawaddy apologizes for any inconveniences to our readers. We will update readers as conditions warrant.
http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/news/news_sept29_04.php
See excellent cartoon and important virus warning in previous post:
http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 29
Rangoon; Afternoon—UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Rangoon on Saturday afternoon and was briefed by UN officials. He was expected to head immediately to the capital of Naypyidaw to meet with the leaders of the military government.
Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division; Around 3 p.m—More than 1,000 monks led about 30,000 protesters in a demonstration march on Saturday at about 3 p.m. in Kyaukpadaung Township, according to a monk in a local monetary. Protesters actively joined the demonstration despite security troops and army trucks in the downtown area.
Sittwe, Arakan State; Afternoon—About 50 monks led 5,000 protesters in Sittwe in Arakan State in western Burma in a mass demonstration on Saturday from about 3:30 p.m to 4 p.m, according to the a local resident. The demonstration ended peacefully.
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 28
Chiang Mai, Thailand; 7 p.m.—Between 250 and 300 protesters turned out in Chiang Mai to pledge support for the monks and the demonstrators in Burma. The peaceful vigil, organized by local Burmese dissidents, Thai journalists and international NGOs, took place at 5 p.m. at the northern capital’s Three Kings’ Monument. Protesters wore red shirts to symbolize the blood that had already been spilled in Rangoon; they also signed petitions, sang Burmese songs and unfurled banners calling for human rights and democracy in Burma. Co-organizer Wandee Suntivutimetee said, “We need to gather Chiang Mai people and inform them what is happening in Burma.” She added that on Saturday volunteers and sympathizers would meet at Wat Suandok temple in Chiang Mai at 10 a.m. to make merit, talk to the monks and pray for the people of Burma.
..........
http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/protests/BurmaProtests.php#29-03
Must-See - The Irrawaddy Virus Warning in previous post! (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17423&postcount=105)
http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/news/images/cartoon_sept29.gif
[Cartoon: http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/]
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
[See earlier post on Htoo Co Shutdown report (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17418&postcount=104)]
Than Shwe's right hand man Tayza-owned
Htoo Company shut-down
Fourth straight day of defying military - Protestors beaten
September 29, 2007
Protest in Yangon
Mizzma News (www.mizzima.com)
(Burmese Standard Time)
5:30 p.m.
Mr. Gambari, UN Secretary-General's special adviser on Burma, has reportedly arrived in Nay Pyi taw to talk with the junta leaders.
5:20 p.m.
Mr. Gambari and security in Rangoon
"Mr. Gambari has arrived in Rangoon. But we did not see him being escorted. We don't know where he has been taken. But in front of Traders Hotel people are being cleared. This morning the authorities also shifted the Sule bus stop to in front of Thamada Cinema. For those bus drivers who did not realize the route change, as soon as they stopped the bus, passengers coming out of the bus were beaten up by soldiers eyewitnesses told me. The soldiers began to clear since 11 or 12 today. At Sule bus stop there are about five to six army trucks. They are in a row. Now that the rain is starting to pour, and since the passengers were beaten up, there are very few people in sight," an observer told Mizzima.
"Markets like Theingyi markets have been declared closed for four days. On Sule street soldiers are constantly on guard so as not to allow anybody to come near. There are about 16 army trucks with about six or seven fire engines, and about two Dyna light truck used by Swan Arrshin and USDA members. It is like a military headquarter now, I even want to name it "Trader Military headquarters"," the observer added.
4:55 p.m.
Crowds disperse
Protesters in Rangoon disperse at about 4 p.m. (local time)
"A police van is parked at the 'Phonegyi road' bus stop. There are no more protesters. From the van about 10 police came down and took a look at the situation. And since the sky is beginning to darken with clouds there are no more protesters," an eyewitness told Mizzima.
Army fooled
"The army was also fooled by protesters. The protesters would start at a place and when the security forces and soldiers came there, they would disperse and run and begin at another place," added the eyewitness.
Police foil Burmese workers' plan to rally in front of Burmese embassy
Samut Sakhon - Police dispersed some 40 Burmese workers who gathered here late Saturday night to travel to rally in front of the Burmese embassy in Bangkok Sunday.
The workers were gathering near a vehicle flyover in Krathum Ban district and were negotiating to hire a bus to transport them to Bangkok.
Police questioned their plan and learnt that they wanted to demonstrate against the Burmese junta in front of the Burmese embassy.
The workers were found to carry proper working permits so they were asked to disperse and go home.
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30050754
BBC World Service Radio has reported a meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari in Rangoon/Yangon this afternoon. (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17431&postcount=18)
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
Monks respond to crackdown by chanting loving kindness
September 30, 2007
Protests across Burma
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
(Burmese Standard Time)
12:20 p.m.
Monks respond to crackdown by chanting loving kindness
Security forces in Mandalay have locked most of the Buddhist monasteries and restricted movement of monks, effectively barring the Buddhist clergy from marching on the streets in protest. However, though locked up inside the monasteries, monks continued their protest by chanting Metta Sutta (Buddhist words for loving kindness).
Meanwhile, civilians holding a big portrait of Gautam Buddha are gearing up for protests in Mandalay.
September 30, 2007
Protests in Yangon
(Burmese Standard Time)
1:30 p.m.
Blockade in Rangoon
As people gear up to stage another round of protests in Rangoon, authorities have put in place major blockades on Pyi Road. Streets and lanes along Pyi Road have been closed and movement of vehicles has been restricted to check protesters.
Meanwhile, it has begun to rain in Rangoon.
After the meeting of UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari with the Burma/Myanmar Junta Generals in the new Capital Pyinmana/Naypyidaw earlier today, he has also met (or is perhaps currently meeting) Aung San Suu Kyi at a government guesthouse in the main city of Rangoon/Yangon this afternoon - according to current BBC World Service radio reports. The meeting is at the same guesthouse where Gambari met Suu Kyi last year.
Thread on the Burma/Myanmar Junta's vicious supression of its critics:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=17429#post17429
BBC World Service Radio has just reported that the meeting lasted for more than one hour:
UN envoy meets Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon
Rangoon - UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari met with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi Sunday in Rangoon on Sunday as part of his mission to asses the country's situation in the aftermath of anti-government protests and a brutal crackdown, diplomatic sources said.
Gambari arrived in Rangoon on Saturday but was flown to Naypyidaw, the ruling junta's hideaway capital, 350 kilometres north of Rangoon.
He returned to Rangoon on Sunday and was immediately granted talks with Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since May, 2003.
Gambai flew to Burma for discussions with the country's entrenched military government on Saturday, seeking to resolve a bloody political uprising which that has generated worldwide demands for the Burmese junta to halt their repression and make way for democratic reforms.
The protests that for nearly two weeks have rocked Burma's two main cities, Rangoon and Mandalay, were reduced to knots of youths shouting insults at thousands of armed police and soldiers deployed on the streets to smother the campaign, according to internet reports from Burma activists and exile groups in neighboring Thailand.
The Buddhist monks who had been leading the protesters were blocked inside monasteries for a second day, surrounded by army troops and frightened by a wave of arrests, the reports said.
The U.N. envoy for Burma, also known as Burma, landed in Rangoon and headed for Naypyidaw, the isolated official capital 250 miles to the north that was chosen two years ago as headquarters for the ruling State Peace and Development Council headed by Senior Gen Than Shwe, according to news agencies.
The Singapore foreign minister, George Yeo, said in New York that Gambari's mission was the best hope for a peaceful end to the crisis and movement toward a political transformation after nearly half a century of military dictatorship.
But in Washington, U.S. officials said the Bush administration was putting pressure on China to play a more active role in persuading Than Shwe and the ruling council to open up space for political reform.
China, with large investments and a strategic partnership with the military junta, has been singled out as the country with the most influence in Burma, which lies along its southern border, Washington Post reported.
Chinese officials so far have declined to intervene forcefully, however, citing a traditional policy of non-interference in other countries' problems.
The U.S. officials suggested that the goal should be the generals' departure from power, perhaps to exile in China, opening the way for a democratic government. But the National Council of the Union of Burma, a main exile umbrella group, said its goal at this stage was less ambitious: national dialogue between the military junta and other political forces in the country.
"The military would be part of the solution," said Soe Aung, a spokesman for the group.
Gambari should first seek a public commitment from the junta to ease its crackdown on demonstrators, he said, and then focus on getting such a dialogue set up.
It would include representatives of the monks who have led the recent protests, he said, in addition to leaders of the National League for Democracy, the party headed by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/30/headlines/headlines_30050756.php
BBC World Service Radio has reported a meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and UN Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari in Rangoon/Yangon this afternoon. (http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17431&postcount=18)
UN envoy's arrival prompts more arrests in Rangoon
RANGOON -- United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Rangoon Friday afternoon but flew directly to Naypyidaw, the regime's hideaway capital, instead of immediately inspecting the scene of this week's upheaval.
Meanwhile, in downtown Rangoon, soldier detained more than 40 people who had gathered outside the Trader Hotel, cutting short a planned protest for Gambari. The protesters were apparently unaware that Gambari was not coming in to the city.
At least four men were seen bound and kneeling in front of soldiers outside the hotel, before being placed on two trucks with others, witnesses said.
Hundreds of armed soldiers had taken over the streets of Yangon Saturday, hunkering down behind barbed wire at strategic spots.
On Strand Street hundreds of protesters congregated, but they dispersed when they ran into troops blocking the path to Pagoda Street, where the Traders Hotel is located.
In general, Yangon was relatively peaceful Saturday, enjoying its first lull in almost two weeks of increasingly violent protests against the ruling junta and the country's deteriorating economy.
Gambari has been assigned by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to make an assessment of the situation in Myanmar after almost two months of sporadic and persistent protests against the country's military regime who have lorded over this once prosperous South-East Asian nation for the past 45 years.
Gambari, who last visited Myanmar in May 2006, was tasked to seek talks with religious leaders, political detainees and democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for more than four years.
His last visit was not a resounding success. Although allowed to interview Suu Kyi, who has been kept in near total isolation in her Rangoon home sicne May, 2003, the regime extended her detention by another year, one week after Gambari's visit.
Instead of first visiting the scene of the protests, the former capital of Rangoon, Gambari has flown to Naypyidaw, 350 kilometres north of to pay respects to the junta's leadership.
The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), as the junta styles itself, moved the capital to Naypyiday in late 2005,to the annoyance of the civil service. The move prompted a pay raise in civil servants salaries, to soothe their complaints, which in turn led to double-digit inflation in the rest of Myanmar that set the scene for recent upheavals.
Peaceful protests initially started in Yangon on August 19, in response to a government decision to double fuel prices.
Burmese monkhood took up the movement in early September and started to march against the fuel-price hikes 12 days ago in Yangon.
The movement eventually escalated into the largest and most violently suppressed anti-government demonstrations since 1988.
Riot police and soldiers cracked down on the monks Wednesday, first beating them back from Yangon's famed downtown pagodas of Shwedagon and Sule, and then raided their monasteries Thursday morning, arresting hundreds of the clergy.
The government attack on the monkhood outraged laymen, and led to clashes between people and security personnel Thursday that left at least nine dead, according to state sources.
Independent sources claim the death toll was much higher.
Hundreds of monks have reportedly fled their monasteries in Yangon for other temples.
No monks came to collect alms in many parts of Yangon on Saturday morning, as is their normal practice.
"Now there is no merit making, just demerits," said one Yangon resident.
While Myanmar's 400,000-strong monkhood is generally revered in this predominantly Buddhist country, it is not above being disciplined by the military.
The army crackdown on anti-military demonstrations in September 1988 left an estimated 3,000 people dead, hundreds of whom were monks who had joined the protests.
The crackdown has prompted almost universal condemnation of the regime, drawing harsh rebukes even from Myanmar's neighbours in South-East Asia.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/29/headlines/headlines_30050726.php
'Rambo' claims Burma death threats
Hollywood (Agencies, BangkokPost.com) - Actor/director Sylvester Stallone suffered a series of death threats on the Thai-Burmese set of the upcoming movie sequel about heroic John Rambo.
He also provided Hollywood reporters with some unique accounts of events along the frontier that seem more out of one of the Rambo movie scripts than real life.
Stallone and his crew made the movie around the border of Thailand and troubled Burma, where he insists a "full-scale genocide" is currently going on.
The 61-year-old, who witnessed refugees fleeing from Burma to Thailand, and the crew received a "lot of threats" and were warned they'd be shot.
Stallone tells TV show Entertainment Tonight, "It's the most brutal regime in the world and the most secretive. It has an oppressive regime that (keeps all riches) for themselves. Everyone is forced into drugs or prostitution or slavery.
"People are escaping all the time (from Burma), coming over with gaping, maggot-infested wounds, their ears being cut off. You saw a lot of suffering, a lot of malnutrition.
"We were on the Salween River and we were told to get out because we were going to be shot."
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122174
Thai Buddhist organisations denounce Yangon crackdown
BANGKOK, Sept 30 (TNA) - The Buddhism Protection Centre of Thailand along with its 40 networks Sunday issued a joint statement denouncing the Myanmar regime's violent crackdown on demonstrators in major cities there.
The statement urged the country's military government to cease violating the fundamental rights of its people.
Meanwhile, Gen. Thongchai Kua-sakul, chairman of the Buddhist Organisation of Thailand, said he would present a petition to the Embassy of Myanmar in Bangkok at 2 pm (0700 GMT) Monday, calling on the Myanmar government to stop killing Buddhist monks and its civilian population immediately.
The letter will also ask the Myanmar government to hold peace talks in a neutral country such as China, India, a member country of the European Union or the United States.
Gen. Thongchai said his organisation and networks would hold a walk, to be led by Thai Buddhist monks and people, around Sanam Luang within this week with an objective to boost morale of Myanmar's Buddhist monks and people who are being suppressed by the country's authorities during demonstrations.
Security forces swept through Yangon, Myanmar's main city on Thursday, killing nine people including a Japanese journalist, and arresting hundreds more in a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. (TNA) - E111
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31950
Earlier Mizzima News report today:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=17429&postcount=108
Late afternoon reports:
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
Gambari meets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Everyone is a leader
Blockade in Rangoon
Protests to continue in Mandalay
September 30, 2007
Protests in Yangon
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
(Burmese Standard Time)
3:30 p.m.
Gambari meets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
In a surprise development the UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari today met detained Burmese pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon.
The visiting envoy met the Burmese Nobel Peace Laureate for ninety minutes at the State guest house in Rangoon.
The UN envoy, who led a three-member delegation, met the Burmese opposition leader on his return from Nay Pyi Taw after a meeting with Burma's military supremo Senior General Than Shwe.
2:50 p.m.
Everyone is a leader: Sayadaw U Gamira
Everyone in Burma is a leader and should individually take to the streets in protest against the junta, said Sayadaw (abbot) U Gamira, whom the junta is searching, told Mizzima while on the run.
"The people should not wait for leaders to lead them, everyone should be a leader in their own right. We have to be individually involved and lead. It is important for everyone to lead at this time. The monks have done a lot and many are now thrown into jails and interrogation camps. And many have to sacrifice their lives," Sayadaw told Mizzima.
"By coming to monasteries in uniforms and arms and guarding the monks, they [the soldiers] are showing the world what they really are. They are not only dictators but terrorists," he added.
"If we cannot go out of the monasteries, there are things we can do inside the monasteries," he said.
..........
September 30, 2007
Protests across Burma
(Burmese Standard Time)
3:30 p.m
Situation in Mandalay
Interview with a local resident in Mandalay, second largest city of Burma
Sporadic demonstration
"Just about an hour ago, there were brief demonstrations by students at the intersection of 75th Street and 35th Street and again at the intersection of 77th Street and 35th Street. Students on motorcycles came holding a red flag and staged a brief demonstration. There were about 100 motorbikes and the students were between 20 to 25 years of age. We saw them on the 35th Street. But they were quick and dispersed immediately. They came from the north and headed to the south."
To disperse or to counter
"The authorities have hired several people and assembled them at Sasanah Beikman. The people were hired for 1500 to 2000 Kyat. We can see a lot of people gathering in front of the Sasanah Beikman. They are all sitting and doing nothing. We don't know for what they have been called. It could be to disperse protesters or to stage counter demonstrations to denounce the ongoing protests led by monks. They can be seen by every one, and they have been brought in vehicles. There are at hundreds of them. They are meant to probably scare the people."
Banning of assemblies
"So far there are no gatherings. Even on the 34th Street as security forces are in place. If people start gathering the authorities are ready to crackdown. The District General Administrator has issued an order dated September 29, banning the assembly of people, motorcycles or even vehicles and cycles. And anyone violating the order will be taken action against as per the existing law."
2:00 p.m
Prayer support for protesters in Kayah State
Local villagers in Dimawso and Pharuso Townships in Kayah State held prayers in support and solidarity to protesters in various parts of Burma, according to a Karenni youth group.
Meanwhile, the township authorities have ordered forming of Swan Arr Shin groups, where none exist, with not less than 20 people in each village, the Karenni student and youth group said in a statement.
As part of the junta's plan to organize anti-protest demonstrations in remote areas of the country to show Mr. Gambari that it has support from the public, authorities have ordered representatives from villages and towns in Kayah state to come for a mass rally in Loikaw, capital of Kayah state. At least 30 people from villages that have more than 50 households and 25 each from villagers that have less than 50 households were told to reach Loikaw town on Sunday, to support the junta's recently concluded National Convention.
1:45 p.m.
Protests to continue in Mandalay
After severe restrictions on monks and guarding of monasteries to check the monks' movement, the authorities continue to persuade young monks and novices to return to their native places by giving them transportation fares. Protests by the monks in Mandalay as such has declined. Besides, as people are curiously observing the visit of Mr. Gambari to Burma, protest in Mandalay has come down.
However, locals said people are gearing up to stage a peaceful march this evening.
Though there are security forces still guarding the city, the security personnel are in a much more relaxed mood, said local residents.
Authorities have began to open the roads and reportedly the traffic remains normal.
Regiment 99 has been entrusted to oversee the security situation and to guard the monasteries in Aung Myay Thar Zan Township while regiment 33 is responsible for security in Chan Aye Thar Zan and Maha Aung Myay Townships.
"Authorities continue to arrest prominent leaders and keep a close watch on many others," a local residents said.
"People are observing Mr Gambari's visit," added the local.
..........
12 Noon
More security personnel deployed in Sittwe, Arakan
In order to prevent monks and civilians from protesting in Sittwe capital in Arakan state, the Burma Army has deployed more security personnel in key locations where protesters have previously staged demonstrations. Both police and soldiers have been posted in the town since last night.
"Soldiers have set up camps in the wunkabba ground in Dowin ward. They have made temporary tents. And there are about 100 policemen and 200 soldiers. The State Peace and Development Council office in Pyidawthar ward is also cordoned off with barbed wire. There are about 150 soldiers and policemen. Similarly, police and soldiers are also positioned at U Ottama Park. There are about 200 soldiers and policemen. The placements were made during the night. Monks now cannot even go for their usual Swan collection. They are being called and interrogated. The monks cannot move out anywhere," a local resident told Mizzima.
Though the authorities yesterday put on show the riot police exercising at a public ground, about 80 monks and more than 3000 civilians continued to march on the streets in protest in the evening.
Local residents explaining the security situation in Sittwe however, failed to predict whether a similar protest would be held today.
September 30, 2007
Intenational Response
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
Burmese Standard Time
3:20 p.m.
Protest in Bangkok
About 1,000 Burmese migrants in Bangkok, Thailand today held a protest rally in front of the Burmese embassy and condemned the military junta for its brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Burma. The protest began at about 9:30 a.m. (local time).
The protesters shouted slogans like "Restoration of Democracy in Burma," "Release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Student leaders and political prisoners", "No more military junta that kills Sanghas (monks)".
3:00 p.m.
Singaporean MPs condemn Burma junta
Condemnation the Burmese junta's brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Rangoon and other parts of Burma, 11 Singaporean opposition Members of Parliament staged a protest rally in front of the Burmese embassy in Singapore.
The Singaporean MPs held the protest, by wearing red T-shirts and hand bands, and holding banners and placards with the words of "Free Burma, Right to
Protect and Stop Killing", with photos of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
KNU attacks retreating Burmese Army, kills four
Than Htike Oo
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
September 30, 2007 - The Karen National Union, an ethnic armed rebel group, said it has killed at least four Burmese soldiers when it attacked a Burmese Army convoy, retreating from the frontline, early yesterday morning.
The KNU spokesperson, Pado Mann Sha, said a unit of Battalion 103 of the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of KNU, ambushed the Burmese troops near the Phalu village in Karen State and killed at least four soldiers.
"I don't know where this battalion will be posted as they have been ordered to move back to base. I don't know if they will be deployed in Rangoon to kill protesting monks and students. But it is a reinforcement. That's why our people have attacked them," Pado Mann Sha told Mizzima.
He added that the Burmese unit's strength was about 40 and the half an hour battle left three Burmese army officers and a private dead.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/106-Sep-2007.html
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39466
Can't help feeling that a description like 'goon squad' is far more indicative of the treacherous and thuglike nature of the USDA and its low-life 'swanarshin' rabble:
RIGHTS-BURMA: Whiteshirts - Junta's Storm Troopers
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK, Sep 30 (IPS) - In much the same way that Italy’s Benito Mussolini and Germany’s Adolph Hitler unleashed their respective ‘blackshirts’ and ‘brownshirts’ to terrorise dissenters, Burma’s military regime has deployed its ‘whiteshirts’ against protesting Buddhist monks and civilians.
At formal events in the South-east Asian country, these storm troopers -- members of the pro-government militia the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA)-- appear in white, long-sleeved Burmese-style shirts and dark green sarongs.
But at other times, they appear in civilian attire and pass off as members of the public with missions that range from being the eyes and ears of Burma’s brutal military regime to using force to crush dissent. In fact, it was the USDA that the junta first turned to when former university student leaders and opposition party activists took to the streets in mid-August to protest against a sudden 500 percent spike in fuel prices.
‘’The military government used the USDA to break up these protests and to harass, intimidate and attack the unarmed civilians demonstrating against the oil price increase,’’ says Naing Aung, secretary general of the Forum for Democracy in Burma (FDB), a group made up of Burmese political exiles living in Thailand. ‘’They later went to the protestors’ homes and arrested them.’’
Similar acts of terror were on display after the junta ordered its heavily armed troops and the much feared riot police to crush public discontent that had ballooned to a popular uprising by Monday, Sep. 24, led by thousands of Buddhist monks. ‘’The USDA’s members acted like the police in plain clothes to go after the protesters,’’ Naing Aung told IPS. ‘’They worked together with the soldiers and the riot police.’’
When not abusing unarmed civilians on the streets, over the past month, the whiteshirts flexed their muscles in others areas to contain rage against the junta that had broken to the surface after nearly 20 years of silent criticism. One of its tasks was to target media outfits in the country that paint an unflattering picture of Burma, which the ruling junta renamed Myanmar years ago.
Members of the USDA were among those responsible for ‘’at least 24 serious violations of the freedom to report news and information since Aug.19,’’ states a note released by two groups, the Burma Media Association, a body made up of Burmese journalists operating outside the country, and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), the global media rights watchdog. The USDA men were part of a raiding party that ‘’confiscated equipment’’ from Burmese journalists working for Japanese news organisations.
Little wonder then the USDA has been on the radar of human rights monitors. A statement released in April by the global lobby Human Rights Watch (HRW) described how some 100 men ‘’carrying clubs and other home-made weapons attacked and beat Myint Naing and Maung Maung Lay, members of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters,’’ in a village 100 km north-west of Rangoon. ‘’The attacks were carried out by members of the USDA.’’
One event that earned this paramilitary group international notoriety was the May 2003 attack on pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her opposition National League for Democracy (NLD). The brutality unleashed by an estimated 2,000 pro-government thugs while Suu Kyi and her party leaders were campaigning in Depayin, upper Burma, led to some 70 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
But, after the ‘’Depayin massacre,’’ as pro-democracy groups describe the violence, it was Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi and her colleagues who got arrested while the whiteshirts got away. Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since then, recording a total of 11 years in incarceration over the past 19 years.
Officially, however, the USDA is presented with a lily-white image ever since it was created in 1993 by Burma strongman senior Gen. Than Shwe. The Burmese public has been told that the USDA is a ‘’social welfare organisation’’ with a development mission for the good of all citizens, according to a study released in May 2006 by the Network for Democracy and Development, a group of Burmese political activists living in exile.
‘’The USDA has managed to insert itself into the distribution of aid and assistance by NGOs (non-governmental organisations),’’ adds the study. ‘’The USDA further functions to provide high attendance levels at mass rallies held in support of the (junta’s) policies or in denunciation of the opposition or international community.’’
Burmese citizens within the country that IPS spoke with earlier this year admitted that coercion was often used by local USDA officials to force members to join the paramilitary group. It has an estimated membership of some 23 million across the country has public servants, teachers, local officials and even high school students.
Till the recent bloody crackdown -- in which protesters including Buddhist monks, have been killed, beaten and arrested -- the junta had set about promoting the USDA as the ‘’political face’’ of the regime.
Its reach and organisational structure, spanning Burma’s villages, townships, divisions and cities, was considered pivotal in the regime’s design to have the USDA serve as the civilian side of the junta. The State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), as the junta is officially known, has been under growing international pressure to push through political reforms to create a functioning democracy.
Yet the USDA’s involvement in the crackdown since mid-August may have undermined the official image that the SPDC has projected for this force for Burma’s ‘’public welfare.’’ The USDA’s reputation is at ‘’its lowest,’’ says Zin Linn, information director of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, the country’s democratically-elected government forced into exile.
‘’The hands of the USDA have been stained with blood since the Depayin massacre,’’ he said in an interview. ‘’The latest assaults by its members have removed all doubts about their role to suppress the people on the junta’s orders. The public is very angry with them.’’
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39466
Naypyidaw is the new capital city. There are other slightly different spelling variations, however.
I have been pronouncing it /nai-pie-yi-daw/, but BBC seems to prefer /nay-pee-yuh-daw/ in much the some way as one might join the words 'napier' and 'door' together.
Any thoughts?
http://www.asianewsnet.net/admin/doc_storage/photo_gallery/20070930/t_1646.jpg
[Photo: http://www.asianewsnet.net - A Philippine activist burns a picture of Myanmar's junta leader General Than Shwe in a protest in Manila on Sept 29. Similar demonstrations are also being held in India, Hong Kong and Japan. - AFP]
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 30
Rangoon; midday—UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as well as military government leaders, according to The Associated Press quoting diplomats. Gambari met the top generals in the new capital of Naypyidaw where he stayed overnight. The envoy was taken to the State Guest House on University Avenue in Rangoon for a meeting with Suu Kyi, said the diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing protocol.
Rangoon; Sunday afternoon—At least three local journalists have disappeared or have been arrested in recent days, while one other journalist was confirmed arrested on Friday. Min Zaw, who works for the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper, was taken from his home on Friday. The Associated Press quoted authorities saying that his mobile phone was confiscated but he was allowed to bring a change of clothing as well as medicine. The 56-year-old journalist suffers from diabetes and hypertension. According to AP, he was to be held temporarily for questioning. Min Zaw was reporting on the ongoing demonstrations against the military regime but was not involved in any political activity.
The three other journalists: Kyaw Zeya Tun, 23, from The Voice journal; Nay Lin Aung, 20, from the 7 Day News journal; and one woman journalist from Weekly Eleven News journal have disappeared, according to one editor in Rangoon. The editor added that it was believed that they were arrested in connection with the demonstrations.
Insein, Rangoon; Saturday night—Military troops tried to raid Shwe Nyaung Pin Monastery in Insein Township, Rangoon, at about 7 p.m. on Saturday night, witnesses said. Residents of the area surrounded the monastery to protect it, telling military authorities that they wouldn’t let any military vehicles enter the monastery.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#30-03
Sonthi says 'live with Burma'
(Agencies) - The Burmese military regime is unlikey to reform anytime soon, Thailand's junta chief Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said on Monday, amid global outrage over a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Rangoon.
"The military rulers have their own stance which is unlikely to change. Any pressure to let democracy take place in (Burma) is difficult," said Gen Sonthi, chairman of the Council for National Security in an interview with a local TV station.
Burma "has developed its own military regime for a long time to protect its national interests," said Sonthi, who last year led a bloodless coup in Thailand that ousted elected premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Neighbouring Burma has sparked global outrage over its clampdown on anti-junta demonstrations last week that killed at least 13 people, including a Japanese journalist, and jailed hundreds.
Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas told the AFP news agency that the current protests against the Burmese junta were unlikely to bring any political change to the country run by the military since 1962.
"The ongoing anti-junta movements would start to ease and they are unlikely to lead any change" in Burma, he said.
"Such changes would not happen unless China, India and Russia exert serious pressure" on the junta, the minister said.
China, Burma's staunchest ally and a main trading partner, has always refused to become involved in the "internal affairs" of the Southeast Asian nation, formerly known as Burma.
Despite global outrage over the Burmese crackdown, China has so far refused to condemn the junta's heavy-handed treatment.
The anti-junta protests erupted on August 19 in Rangoon after a massive hike in fuel prices, but escalated two weeks ago with the emergence of the Buddhist monks on the front line and drew up to 100,000 people onto the streets last week.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122214
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on October 01
Rangoon—Win Ko Ko Latt, a 27 year-old journalist from the Weekly Eleven News Journal has been missing since September 27. He was covering a demonstration in front of State High School No.3 in Mingalataungnyunt Township in Rangoon when the security forces opened fire on the demonstrators, an editor from Weekly Eleven News Journal told The Irrawaddy on Monday. The editor said that they have checked his name on the death list at Rangoon General Hospital but his name was not found. At the time he went missing, Win Ko Ko Latt was carrying a camera.
Downtown Rangoon; midday—Security forces around the Sule Pagoda in central Rangoon and at other downtown locations are searching people for cameras. Anyone found with a camera is detained and led away, according to one eyewitness. Passengers on city buses are also being searched.
Burma Protests: the Situation on September 30
Mandalay; 1:30 p.m.—About 100 motorcyclists held a demonstration in Mandalay at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to residents. The motorcyclists rode around Roads 35 and 73, close to Mandalay University and Mandalay railway station. Authorities arrested the motorcycling demonstrators at about 4: 15 p.m.
Security has been beefed up in the city of Mandalay. Three military trucks carrying soldiers and another five trucks carrying members of the Union Solidarity and Development Association and the paramilitary group Swan Ah Shin drove around the city.
Sanchaung Township, Rangoon; late afternoon—Three military trucks carrying soldiers drove around two monasteries in Sanchaung Township on Sunday afternoon, but soon left after residents gathered to confront them.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#01-02
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Sep/today-demonstration.html
The first headline is interesting, but there is NO further explanation. You may also ( and you may wish you hadn't, after) take a look at the gruesome picture of a dead monk on the linked page:
Gambari yet to meet Than Shwe
Search increases for cameras and mobiles in Rangoon
October 01, 2007
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
(Burmese Standard Time)
12 pm
Situation in Mandalay
In Mandalay, Burma's second largest city where some students protested yesterday, eyewitnesses said people are seen in groups and another protest could be expected to begin at about 2 p.m. (local time).
Security has been increased on the 78th Street but it remains normal in other places including 35th and 34th Streets.
Authorities have assembled several members of the USDA and Swan Arrshin on a daily wage of 3000 kyat.
"They called people from the slums of Chan Aye Thar Zan Township last night. They were told to they will get a daily wage of 3000 kyat and would work for security. We believe the authorities will first deploy these people to crackdown on any protest," a local resident told Mizzima.
Monasteries continue to be guarded and in some monasteries several dozen armed soldiers are have been sent as reinforcements.
According to local residents, Regiment 11 has been brought into the city since yesterday.
Currently Regiment 33, 22 and police are incharge of the security in Mandalay.
10:30 a.m
Authorities assemble people in Taung Dwingyi to support NC
"What happened was that members of the USDA were called for a meeting at the Ward Peace and Development Council office. And the members of USDA and WPDC went from door to door to calling on people to attend a gathering in support of the government's roadmap and National Convention. And those attending will be given 3000 Kyat but those not attending will be fined 10,000 kyat," a local resident of Taung Dwingyi told Mizzima.
10:00 a.m
Security in Rangoon
Security has been stepped up in major road intersections and traffic points in Rangoon. As roads reopen, and normal traffic is back on the roads, soldiers and other security personnel remain positioned at traffic points. Military trucks are also seen patrolling the city.
"We could see people going in three or four groups. We have heard that people are determined to continue the protest today. It seems they will wait for the right time. They will look out for the right time and place. And if they get the chance, they will start again," a local resident told Mizzima.
" The numbers of Swan Arrshin members have gone up. These people are not familiar with the city and they are ragged, some don't even have sandals," he added.
However, in downtown Rangoon, security has been reduced compared to earlier days. Eyewitnesses told Mizzima that only in Sule, the heart of the city, security has been placed and the area has been cordoned-off with barbed wires.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Oct/Oct-1-2007.html
Ailing Prime Minister to go back to Burma, Rangoon commander ousted
Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
October 1, 2007 - Soe Win, the ailing Prime Minister of Burma may fly back to the country from Singapore this afternoon, sources said.
Lieutenant General Soe Win's special flight will land in Rangoon at about 5 p.m.
"His condition is not good and he will die soon. He will be taken to the military hospital in Mingaladon," sources close to the military said.
The Prime Minister, who is a Senior General Than Shwe loyalist, is notorious and had executed the Deepayin ambush on Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy, now under house arrest on May 2003.
" (Lieutenant General) Thein Sein will replace Soe Win when he dies and Tin Aung Myint Oo will replace Thein Sein as Secretary-I," the sources added.
Meanwhile, Rangoon Commander Major General Hla Htay Win was permitted to retire today, military sources said.
He had reportedly differed with the top military brass and had refused to give orders to gun down protesters in commercial capital.
Following the killing of the Japanese journalist who was shot in Rangoon on September 27 when the military opened fire on peaceful anti-regime protesters, Major General Hla Htay Win was blamed and made a scapegoat, sources close to the military said.
The photo journalist Kenji Nagai was shot dead by a soldier. The killing was show in television footage in the Japanese media.
The retired commander is known to be a moderate among pro-democracy activists and did not want a brutal crack down on protesters.
Opposition sources said Hla Htay Win, a loyalist of Vice-Senior General Maung Aye was among the majority of the commanders who differed with the hardliner junta supreme Senior General Than Shwe.
Burmese junta said to have jailed 1,000 demonstrators
Published on October 2, 2007
Rights groups press UN to demand full accounting of dead and arrested
With protests quashed and many monasteries empty, fears are growing for those who have disappeared into Burma's grim prisons in recent days - rights groups say more than 1,000 people, including monks and students, are missing.
"I hate to think where they might be, but we have gone by a number of monasteries and they are empty. And it is frightening to think why that is," US charge d'affaires in Rangoon, Shari Villarosa told Nation Channel's Suthichai Yoon in a telephone interview yesterday.
Villarosa said she was hopeful of a meeting today between UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari and Senior General Than Shwe but added that more international help was needed, especially from neighbouring Thailand.
"I think the Thai government should speak out critically about what's happening. I think … they should reconsider business arrangements that they have with the Burmese generals," she said.
Villarosa fell short of calling on Asean to kick Burma out of the regional grouping but asked how Asean could benefit from having Burma as a member.
The UN's Gambari, who has been in Burma since Saturday, has finally got an appointment to meet with Gen Than Shwe in the junta's remote, bunker-like capital, Naypyidaw. Gambari is expected to return to Rangoon tomorrow to catch a flight out of the country.
"I would hope that something is getting through to Than Shwe and the other generals that violence does not address the underlying problem. There are serious grievances," Villarosa said.
Security forces have launched overnight raids to pick up more monks, civilians and members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) headed by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, herself under house arrest for most of the past 18 years.
"We have received information about demonstrations in other cities and disturbing reports - from a monk, an NLD member - of arrests taking place, particularly in Mandalay," Villarosa said.
"Most of these arrests happen in the middle of the night. And they continue to go into monasteries around 2 o'clock in the morning," she said.
Villarosa said the Burmese government admits that there were 10 deaths. "But we suspect there are far more than that," she said.
The Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), which has for years kept a close watch on political detainees in Burma's 43 prisons, estimates up to 1,500 people were locked up last week.
"At least 85 protest leaders, over 1,000 monks, and between 300 and 400 students and activists were arrested," said AAPP joint secretary Bo Kyi, adding that the detainees were subjected to harsh prison conditions.
The Buddhist monks, who were at the forefront of what has been dubbed the "saffron revolution", were forcibly disrobed and "severely beaten, kicked and insulted" by soldiers and militias, the group said in a statement.
Hong Kong-based organisation the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said "at least 700 monks and 500 civilians are estimated to have been captured and taken to unknown locations in the last week".
These detainees, as well as 150 people arrested after the protests began in August, "must all be treated as disappeared, not arrested, until their whereabouts and conditions are confirmed", the group said.
Diplomats in Rangoon are also trying to assess the true extent of last week's carnage and the extent of the ongoing arrests. Many observers believe the death toll may be far higher than 13 known killings.
Observers say many detainees have been taken to the city's notorious Insein prison, the Government Technological Institute, the police Battalion Number Seven compound, Kyaikkasan race track, and possibly other locations.
"There are enough old and now unoccupied government buildings since the move to [the new capital] Naypyidaw," said one foreign observer, referring to the junta's sudden shift to a new capital 350km north of Rangoon in late 2005.
Human Rights Watch monitor for Burma David Mathieson said the group was still trying to find out "who was taken on what day and to where" but added "it appears that this has been more well planned than last week's events suggested".
"People were taken away during the demonstrations, people were arrested at night, including in the monasteries, and people were arrested at the weekend at smaller demonstrations and as security forces cleared up the streets," he said.
Mathieson said "the onus of figuring where those people are and what condition they are in is on the shoulders of [UN special envoy] Ibrahim Gambari," who is due to meet junta leader Gen Than Shwe this morning.
"He must come out of the country with some account of where those people are and what condition they are in," the HRW monitor said. He added that, even at the best of times, Burma's prisons were sinister and overcrowded places where "the conditions are horrendous, and torture and ill treatment are commonplace".
The Nation,
Agencies
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/02/headlines/headlines_30050971.php
Burmese govt organises funerals for slain protestors
Bodies of two protesters killed in the Burmese junta's brutal crackdown on recent protests were not returned to their families but were instead buried in discreet government-organised funeral services, according to family members.
Democratic Voice of Burma online reported Monday that Ko Htun Htun Linn, of South Okkalapa township, and high-school student Maung Kyaw Zeya Naing were killed in Friday's protests in downtown Rangoon after government guards and soldiers fired automatic weapons and beat up protesters.
The online quoted their family members said they were later informed of their deaths by the Ministry of Home Affairs. They were invited to attend a funeral service organised by the government, bringing no more than ten people from each family.
"The letter, signed by the minister of Home Affairs Thura Myint Maung, was delivered to us by [township] police chief Naing Win and it said that we are to bring our ID cards to the funeral," said a family member of Ko Htun Htun Linn.
"It also said that we are not allowed to hold the traditional merit-making ceremony seven days after the death."
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/01/regional/regional_30050887.php
Burma tightens the screws on dissent
Rangoon - The Burmese military on Monday tightened its security screws in Rangoon, which was eerily subdued after two weeks of peaceful anti-junta demonstrations that were put down with brutal efficiency.
Many of the troops previously posted at Pagoda Road, the flashpoint for last week's protests, had been removed on Monday, but people entering the area were subject to inspections by security personnel.
Possession of a slingshot has become a jailing offence in the city. The New Light of Myanmar, the government mouthpiece, published pictures Monday of youths who had been arrested for owning a "catapult," as slingshots are termed.
There were reports of arrests at night when a curfew is in place from 9 pm to 5 am. On Sunday night at least 20 people in Kyauktada and Pabepan townships were arrested in their homes, sources said.
Truckloads of soldiers cruised the city, keeping watch on the population, ready to deposit troops at the first sign of protests.
Buddhist monasteries in Rangoon's townships have been told to send visiting monks back to the provinces and to stop the practice of allowing laymen to spend the night.
It has long been the tradition in Burma, a predominantly Buddhist country, to allow laymen travellers to spend the night, earning temples the nickname of "poor man's hotel."
Barricades that were erected last Wednesday in front of the Shwedagon Pagoda, where riot police and soldiers beat back monks with batons and tear gas, have been removed and the debris cleaned up.
"They are tidying up for Gambari," said one Rangoon resident, in reference to visiting United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari. Gambari, on an assessment mission in Burma after the country was rocked by its worst violence in 19 years, arrived on Saturday. He was allowed to meet with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi for an hour on Sunday.
Gambari was in Naypyidaw, the junta's hideaway capital, situated about 350 kilometres north of Rangoon, on Monday where he had sought a meeting with the regime's chief Senior General Than Shwe.
There is great skepticism about what Gambari's mission will achieve.
"The United Nations has been sending special envoys to Burma for the past 18 years and they have no real mandate, so nothing is likely to happen," said Bertil Lintner, a Burma watcher and author of several books on the country. "They just issue reports and that's it. Only the UN Security Council can issue binding resolutions."
..........
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=122226
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
Burma Protests: the Situation on October 01
Rangoon; 5 p.m.—About 70 of those arrested in recent protests were released on Monday at about 5 p.m., according to sources in Rangoon. Authorities told family members to go to the office of Hlaing Township Peace and Development Council at 5 p.m. to collect their detained relatives.
Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division; morning—Monks in Kyaukpadaung Township of Mandalay Division refused to accept alms offered by local State Peace and Development Council members on Monday. The monks are maintaining their patam nikkujjana kamma (a boycott of alms from members of the military regime) which they officially started on September 18, according to a monk at Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery in Kyaukpadaung.
On Monday morning the security forces surrounded the monastery, but then withdrew after residents gathered to confront them.
Many of the novices and young monks who study at the monastery have gone back to their homes as their families were worried they would be arrested or attacked by the authorities.
Security in Mandalay remains tight.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/protests/BurmaProtests.php#01-04
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IJ02Ae01.html
Cracks emerge in Myanmar military unity
By Larry Jagan
BANGKOK – Myanmar's protests have lost steam as security forces clamp down, killing over a dozen and arresting as many as 1,000 people involved in the recent street protests that have grabbed global headlines. Now there are indications that the ruling State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC's) top two generals are at loggerheads over how to proceed in the aftermath of the crackdown.
SPDC second-in-command General Maung Aye reportedly opposed using force against the tens of thousands of monks who took to the streets, bringing him into conflict with Senior General Than Shwe, according to sources close to Maung Aye. Some soldiers in the old capital of Yangon and the city of Mandalay last week reportedly refused to obey their senior officers' commands to attack or shoot at protesting monks, according to diplomatic sources in Yangon. Several aid workers in Mandalay reportedly witnessed soldiers there refusing to open fire when ordered by commanding officers.
General Than Shwe, the SPDC's top general, personally gave the orders to the local commanders in Yangon to shoot into the crowd, a military source told Asia Times Online. "The two main commanders in Yangon have told their subordinates that the senior general directly ordered the attack last week," he said. That shoot-to-kill policy has backfired on the junta, with international condemnation coming from the West as well as neighboring countries included in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member.
United Nations special envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari met with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday and is reportedly now pressing to meet with both Than Shwe and Maung Aye. So far the SPDC leadership has declined to meet with the UN envoy, perhaps, some analysts speculate, precisely because the top two generals now view the next steps in dealing with the crisis differently.
There are unconfirmed reports that Than Shwe's wife and one of his daughters, as well as his top business associate, Tay Za, flew out of the country on a Air Bagan flight to Singapore last week and have since traveled on to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Their apparent flight came against the backdrop of growing questions about troop loyalty due to orders to shoot at monks and the possibility that they could have broken rank and joined with the street protestors.
"If the current crackdown results in more bloodshed, a mutiny within the 400,000-strong armed forces is a distinct possibility," said Win Min, a Myanmar analyst based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. "Family members of the grassroots soldiers are suffering from increasing food and fuel prices like the people who are demonstrating, though top level officers are getting amazingly rich."
Indeed, there have already been notable instances of a breakdown in the chain of command, according to diplomats. On September 20, for still unclear reasons security forces positioned at the barricades blocking access to Aung San Suu Kyi's house allowed marching monks to pass and pray in front of the house, an episode that was widely reported worldwide. The following day, however, another group of monks bidding to pass her compound was turned away by a larger number of security personnel.
On Saturday, Maung Aye personally took control of the operations in Yangon and he reportedly posted soldiers with sub-machine guns at the entrance to University Avenue where Suu Kyi is under house arrest.
It is unclear if the apparent divergent views between the SPDC's top two generals have resulted in a full-blown rift. But there are signs that Than Shwe fears a possible internal military power play, similar to the one in 1992 that resulted in his rise to power.
Maung Aye apparently believes the use of the civilian organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA), to control the crowds is damaging the army's authority and threatens even broader instability, according to a source close to his family. Plainclothes USDA members have used crude weapons and taken the lead in brutally assaulting and detaining protestors. Notably, the organization is the brainchild of Than Shwe, which he helped to establish in 1993 to create the illusion of grassroots support for the military's civilian programs and has relied on in the past to crack down on political opposition.
Continued in next post
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IJ02Ae02.html
Continued from previous post
Curfews and detentions
After detaining key members of the 88 Generation Student Group that started the protests on September 19, military authorities have apparently been at a loss in identifying who is leading the protests. They have recently swooped on Yangon's Buddhist monasteries and temples, arresting hundreds of monks, in an apparent effort to locate the protest leaders and halt the demonstrations.
Key opposition figures, among them actors, artists, journalists and writers, including even the renowned comedian Zargana, have also been detained. Most of the leading members of Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), have likewise been arrested in recent days.
While there is a lull in the street protests at present, with both the military and protestors apparently regrouping and reorganizing, there is little doubt that a major movement to overthrow the military regime is in the making. While the monks were the leading force in recent weeks, former and current activists and student leaders are now reportedly organizing behind the scenes.
Senior monks and students recently formed a joint "strike committee" to lead future demonstrations. "We are going for it, this is our time. We have to take this chance now as there may never be another one," a senior former student leader recently told Asia Times Online from hiding inside the country. "The students will support the monks' peaceful protests," he said.
After weeks of mainly peaceful protests led by the monks, the regime finally dropped their policy of restraint last week and hit back, killing at least 13 and injuring many more. Dusk-to-dawn curfews are now in place in Yangon and Mandalay and more than 20,000 troops have been deployed in the former capital. Soldiers are stationed outside Buddhist monasteries and temples to prevent the monks from returning to the streets and they have reportedly been warned that they would be shot if they ignored the warning.
Up until a week ago the monks had been primarily protesting against the local authorities' use of violence to quell an earlier march near Mandalay, where several monks were badly beaten by violent vigilantes wielding sticks. All along, though, the monks have also been calling on the government to reduce prices, supporting the first of the public protests that broke out more than a month ago after the government raised certain fuel charges by up to 500%.
"They know better than anyone the impact the rising fuel and food prices is having on the people at the grassroots," said Myanmar analyst Aung Naing Oo, noting that monks rely on the donation of daily alms for their survival. "They understand that this has become harder and harder, especially over the last two years. What they used to collect from four or five houses, now takes more than 30," he said.
But Buddhist monks are now clearly in the political vanguard, depending on which monks you listen to, alternatively for national reconciliation, dialogue between the military and the political opposition National League for Democracy, or outright regime change through popular protests. The fact that the Buddhist clergy has recently taken on such an overt political role is exceptional.
After the military first assaulted monks near Mandalay, a new group emerged known as the All Burma Monks Alliance, which represents a younger, more radical segment of the Buddhist clergy. They have since urged ordinary people "to struggle peacefully against the evil military dictatorship until it is banished from the land".
"Normally monks are not political," said Win Min, based at Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand. "They focus on their individual enlightenment according to traditional Buddhism. What is happening now shows that the situation has reached the point where they can no longer tolerate it."
So far Suu Kyi's NLD has been a bystander and her members seemingly uninvolved in organizing the spontaneous monk-led marches. But the charismatic leader is known to have strong support among the protesting monks and she would seem to be the key to any potential political settlement to the recent unrest.
Than Shwe is known to harbor a strong personal grudge against her and he would likely be unwilling to enter into any compromise that shared power with her NLD. The wildcard is whether another military faction inside the SPDC views things differently and might be willing to take the chance of trying to remove their recalcitrant leader for their own political gain.
Larry Jagan previously covered Myanmar politics for the British Broadcasting Corp. He is currently a freelance journalist based in Bangkok.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/IJ02Ae02.html
Note the conflict between the headline and paragraph 4:
Burma junta chief to meet Gambari
Rangoon (dpa) - The leader of Burma's junta, Senior General Than Shwe, agreed Tuesday to meet with visiting United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari in the regime's capital of Naypyidaw, United Nations sources said.
Gambari arrived in Burma Saturday to assess the situation in the country in the aftermath of a brutal crackdown on peaceful monk-led protests last week that left at least 10 people dead, according to the government's tally. The real death toll is feared to be much higher.
On Sunday, Gambari was allowed to meet for an hour with the country's democracy icon, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, in Rangoon, the former capital and Burma's largest city, but details of their talks have yet to be disclosed.
On Tuesday, he was finally granted an audience with Than Shwe, 74, who heads the State Peace and Development Council, as Burma's junta styles itself.
Burma has been ruled by generals since 1962, and there is little likelihood that the military clique currently running the country would forfeit power to Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party, which won 1990 election but has been blocked from assuming office for the past 17 years by the junta.
There is skepticism about what Gambari's mission would accomplish. On his last visit to Burma in May 2006, he was also allowed to meet with Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since May 2003. A week after his departure, the junta slapped another year on Suu Kyi's detention term.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon instructed Gambari in a recent telephone conversation to deliver a message to the generals, UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.
"The secretary general asked his envoy to call on the Myanmar authorities to cease the repression of peaceful protest, release the detainees and move more credibly and inclusively in the direction of democratic reform, human rights and national reconciliation," Okabe said in New York.
May expire soon:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=122248
Wisarut
03-10-07, 01:58 PM
Khun Theppahchai Yong pointing out that the Burmese comedians now goiving a satirical joke toward the Junta
Thai Top Brass: Our food is cheap, we can chew giant lobster and then throw away ...
South Korea Top Brass: Our Mobile phone is cheaper than Burmese Longyee, we can throw away as we please.
Burmese Top Brass: The life of people is cheap, we can kill as many as we please!
// -------------------------------
Burmese Gurrgeon boasted that we can replace the brain of those dyfunctional patient with pig brain ... and those with pig prians have beocme Burmese Generals!
REF: http://www.komchadluek.net/2007/10/column/m020_158450.php?news_id=158450
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/03/headlines/images/30051148-01.jpg
[Mugshot: The Nation]
Ailing Burmese Prime Minister dies
Burma's ailing Prime Minister Lt Gen Soe Win has died at the military hospital in Mingalardon, Rangoon on Tuesday, sources said.
Soe Win, who returned to Burma on Monday from a secret medical treatment in Singapore, died at about 5:00 p.m (local time), Mizzima News online quoted sources as saying.
The Burmese Prime Minister is known to have been suffering from Leukemia and had secretly received medical treatment in Singapore.
Soe Win, who is a Senior General Than Shwe loyalist, is also known as "the
Butcher of Depayin" for orchestrating the Depayin massacre in 2003 by ordering mobs to attack on pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's motorcade.
Sources said Soe Win will be replaced by Lt-Gen Thein Sein and Tin Aung Myint Oo will be promoted to Thein Sein's position as Secretary-I.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/03/headlines/headlines_30051148.php
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
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/03/regional/regional_30051191.php
Defected Burmese officer meets Norwegian diplomats
OSLO -- Norwegian diplomats met Thursday with a Burmese army major who said he defected to neighbouring Thailand because he did not want to shoot at civilians and monks, a Norwegian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
Bjorn Svenungsen confirmed that the meeting took place at the Norwegian embassy, but declined to offer details or if the Myanmar officer, who in recent interviews was identified as Major Win, had applied for asylum.
The former officer and his son, aged 17, arrived in Bangkok Tuesday after five days on the run from Burma.
In recent interviews with Norwegian and Swedish media, they said they hoped to seek asylum in Norway or Sweden.
..........
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/04/regional/regional_30051324.php
Myanmar junta tightens screws, sets Suu Kyi conditions
By Aung Hla Tun
YANGON (Reuters) - Despite gradually easing its iron grip on Myanmar's main city on Thursday, the junta continued to round up scores of people and grill hundreds more arrested during and after a ruthless crackdown on pro-democracy marches.
In the first official remarks since a visit by U.N. envoy Ibrahim Gambari this week, junta chief Than Shwe said he would talk to detained democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi if she abandoned her "obstructive measures" and support for sanctions.
Protestors consisting of refugees and workers from Myanmar burn a poster of junta chief Than Shwe during a protest outside Myanmar embassy in Kuala Lumpur October 4, 2007. (REUTERS/Zainal Abd Halim)
Than Shwe told Gambari that Suu Kyi, who has been in detention for 12 of the last 18 years, was "confrontational" and for "utter devastation", state television said without explaining what the last accusation meant.
He told Gambari that if Suu Kyi "announces publicly she has given up these four things, he would hold direct talks" with her, it said.
Gambari was dispatched to Myanmar to persuade the generals to end their ruthless crackdown on protests and talk to Suu Kyi, but reports of verbal and physical abuse suggest Than Shwe is paying scant regard to his calls for restraint.
"That is one of the top concerns of the international community," said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, due to attend a meeting of the 15-member Security Council on Friday to discuss the crackdown in a country now under military rule for an unbroken 45 years.
JAILED FOR CLAPPING
A relative of three women released said detainees were being divided into four categories: passers-by, those who watched, those who clapped and those who joined in.
"They're looking for the people who led the demonstrations. The people clapping will only get a minimal punishment - maybe two to five years," said Win Min, who fled to Thailand during a crackdown on a student-led uprising in 1988.
Leaders could be looking at up to 20 years behind bars, he said.
People in central Yangon's Kamayut district said soldiers had arrested scores of people on Wednesday night for trying to impede a raid on the Aung Nyay Tharzi monastery a few days earlier and giving protection to fleeing Buddhist monks.
Another 70 young monks rounded up in other swoops across the city a week ago were freed overnight from a government technical institute, complementing 80 monks and 149 women believed to be nuns released on Wednesday.
One freed monk, who did not want his name revealed, said some had been beaten when they refused to answer questions about their identity, birthplace, parents and involvement in the protests, the biggest challenge to the junta in nearly 20 years.
"The food and living conditions were horrible," the monk, from Yangon's Pyinya Yamika Maha (A) monastery told Reuters.
Among those detained in the middle of the night on Wednesday was a Myanmar U.N. staff member and her two relatives. They were released, along with her driver, on Thursday, a U.N. source said.
The evening state news broadcast said that since the crackdown on peaceful protests led by monks began last week, 2,093 people had been arrested and 692 released after interrogators deemed them innocent.
INDIA PROTEST
The junta's crackdown has provoked scores of protests around the world and on Thursday hundreds of Buddhist monks in yellow robes marched in India chanting hymns, and waving placards that read "Stop Killing" and "No violence against democracy."
Gambari was to brief Ban after arriving in New York on Thursday in the midst of international outrage at the use of soldiers against peaceful columns of Buddhist monks and civilians demanding an end to military rule.
Official media say 10 people were killed, including a Japanese video journalist, although Western governments say the final toll is likely to be far higher.
The body of 50-year-old Kenji Nagai, shot dead near Yangon's Sule Pagoda, returned home on Thursday for an autopsy whose results could lead to Tokyo making good on a threat to scale back economic assistance to Myanmar, one of Asia's poorest countries.
Fears of a repeat of 1988, when the army killed an estimated 3,000 people in a crackdown lasting several months, were not realised, but even China, the junta's closest ally, made a rare public call for restraint.
China praised Gambari's mission -- which Western diplomats said Beijing helped facilitate -- saying it gave his efforts a "positive appraisal".
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/10/5/worldupdates/2007-10-04T213756Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-298575-1&sec=Worldupdates
http://www.irrawaddy.org/articlefiles/8888-onlinecart174.gif
The Irrawaddy]
http://www.irrawaddy.org/
UN Chief Says Envoy's Trip to Burma Wasn't Success
By Edith M Lederer/AP Writer/United Nations
October 4, 2007
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said his special envoy delivered "the strongest possible message" to Burma's military leaders about their bloody crackdown on democracy activists, but added that he couldn't call the trip "a success."
Ban said he would meet with the UN Security Council on Friday to discuss what to do about human rights abuses in Burma, calling the situation there a top international concern.
"We will discuss closely with the Security Council members what action to take in the future," he said Wednesday.
Ban did not say if he had specific steps in mind. But China, which as a permanent member of the council can veto its actions, is a close ally of Burma's military government.
Special envoy Ibrahim Gambari was scheduled to sit down with Ban on Thursday to report on his four-day trip to the Southeast Asian nation, where troops quelled mass protests with gunfire last week and continued to round up suspected activists.
Asked about Gambari's visit, Ban said, "You cannot call it a success."
But, he added, "I was relatively relieved that he was first of all able to meet with leaders of the Myanmar [Burmese] government as well as Madame Aung San Suu Kyi," the opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate who is under house arrest.
Gambari urged the junta's leaders to stop repressing peaceful protesters, release detainees, move toward real democratic reform, respect human rights and reconcile with their political opponents, the UN spokesman's office said.
In discussing the situation in Burma, Ban singled out the strong statement sent to the junta by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Burma.
Asean expressed "revulsion" at the crackdown on peaceful protesters and strongly urged the military regime "to exercise utmost restraint and seek a political solution."
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=8883
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/03/headlines/images/30051148-01.jpg
[Mugshot: The Nation]
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/03/headlines/headlines_30051148.php
Correction
October 5, 2007 - Mizzima on Tuesday (October 2, 2007) inadvertently reported that the Burmese Prime Minister Lt-Gen Soe Win died at Rangoon's Mingalardon hospital at about 5 p.m. (local time), based on information provided by sources close to the Burmese premier and the military establishment.
However, on careful follow up, family sources of Soe Win told Mizzima that the premier is not dead and is currently in the Intensive Care Unit of Mingalardon hospital in Rangoon. He was reportedly, visited by three senior leaders of the Burmese military junta including Snr. Gen. Than Shwe on Tuesday.
"He is still in the Mingalardon hospital. But doctors said his condition is critical," the family source told Mizzima.
However, the Mingalardon hospital authorities refused to answer Mizzima's queries.
Mizzima sincerely apologizes to all our readers for the wrong reporting and pledges to continue to provide more accurate information in the future.
http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/News/2007/Oct/22-Oct-2007.html
Jromerz
06-10-07, 08:04 PM
A 49 minute documentary by Evan Williams getting deep into the reality people face everyday in Burma:
Burma's Secret War
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-YVdpQHdqo
Burma releases detained monks but diplomats not hopeful
Rangoon - The Burmese junta has released hundreds of Buddhist monks arrested in a crackdown on the largest anti-regime protests in 19 years, but few see such lenience as a sign of positive change in the brutal regime's tactics towards dissent, diplomats and activists said Saturday.
The New Light of Myanmar, a government mouthpiece, announced Saturday that 404 of the 513 monks arrested since September 26 had already been released from prison, together with 30 women who had been caught in the authorities dragnet of 18 monasteries in Rangoon, citing military sources.
The regime previously said that altogether 2,093 people had been arrested in their latest crackdown on dissent, of whom 692 had been released.
Authorities now acknowledge that they raided 18 monasteries in Rangoon last month as part of the crackdown on the monk-led rebellion, which started on September 18 with peaceful barefoot marches through the streets of the city and peaked on September 25 with 100,000 anti-government protesters.
The Burmese junta crushed the "saffron revolution" on September 26 and 27, killing at least 10 people, according to official figures. Anti-government activists in Rangoon say the death toll was closer to 200.
Residents near the Yeywey crematorium in Rangoon saw government personnel burning 71 bodies on the night of September 26, and people living near Insein prison have witnessed three to four dead bodies being brought out nightly from the notorious jail, where many of the protesters were detained and reportedly beaten.
In is unlikely that the full extent of the atrocities committed against Burmese revered monkhood and the laymen who joined their peaceful protests will ever be disclosed.
Calls for an independent investigation into the events have been ignored. Confidence in the United Nations' ability to do anything to pressure the regime is limited and dwindling fast, diplomats said.
UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari visited Burma between September 29 to October 2 to deliver a strong message of disapproval to the country's ruling generals and returned to New York on Thursday with a report for the UN Security Council.
After the 15-member council met Friday it failed to reach a consensus on future actions against the regime or even a joint statement of condemnation.
What was decided was that Gambari will visit Burma again in mid-November, but whether he visits depends on whether or not the junta grants him a visa.
"After his critical statements in New York I doubt they will let Gambari come back again," said Lars Backstrom, the Finnish ambassador to Burma and Thailand.
Backstrom and the Danish ambassador were briefed by a deputy director of the Burmese Foreign Ministry in Naypyidaw, the country's new capital, on Friday.
"There were no surprises," said Backstrom of the briefing. Like many Burma-watchers, the diplomat expressed pessimism about Burma's prospects for democracy in the aftermath of the latest protests and crackdowns.
"This was just another sad chapter in a very sad history of the country," said Backstorm in an interview in Bangkok with Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
Senior General Than Shwe, who heads the ruling junta, has offered to meet with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on the precondition that she drops her calls for "confrontation" and support for western sanctions against the country.
Ironically, Suu Kyi has not been able to call for anything over the past four years as she has been kept in near complete isolation under house arrest in Yangon. She has no telephone, and the last person she has met besides her maid and personal doctor was Gambari, who held talks with her on September 30 and again on October 2.
Observers speculate that Than Shwe has set preconditions for a dialogue with Suu Kyi in order to blame their eventual failure on the 1991 Nobel peace prize laureate.
"The military has the upper hand. That's the fact," said Backstrom. "Time is on their side."
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/06/regional/regional_30051555.php
No action on Burma: UN Security Council
New York - With the UN Security Council divided over actions to support democracy in a country ruled by a military junta, special envoy Ibrahim Gambari said Friday he plans to return to Southeast Asia and Burma in early November to see "all people and stay as long as possible."
Gambari said his three-day visit to Burma was "tightly controlled" by the military and he was not allowed to see the people he wanted to see. As a compromise, he said the government allowed him some liberty but he had to comply with some of their own programme.
Gambari had planned to return to Rangoon by mid-November, but he now said the visit was pushed up so he can visit some Asian capitals and return to Rangoon. The planning for the trip is underway, Gambari told reporters after briefing the council about his findings and meeting with the body behind closed doors.
He said he had demanded the military leaders take action on a series of issues he presented them, including national dialogue with a deadline to achieve "results reflecting the will of the people."
"We want time-bound, concrete and serious results," Gambari said, adding that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is also "very anxious" to see those results.
Gambari met with Suu Kyi twice during the three-day visit, describing her as "frail, but looking better this time than last November when I met her" in Rangoon. He said "deep mistrust" exists between Suu Kyi and the military leaders and the UN is trying to bridge that mistrust.
When asked whether Suu Kyi had called for sanctions against the military, Gambari told reporters he could not interpret what she had said.
Gambari told the council that as of Friday, a total of 2,095 people arrested had been released, including 728 monks, and the government had promised to free more.
Gambari rejected the military's assertion that the popular demonstrations were instigated by opposition elements and the protests were limited to Rangoon and Mandalay.
"It is clear that the demonstrations over the past few weeks are for the most part the expression of deep and widespread discontent about socio-economic conditions in the country," he said.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon branded the repressions as "abhorrent and unacceptable," and said the "unknown predicament" of thousands of people arrested without due process is a matter of serious concern.
The 15-nation council issued no official statement on the situation in Burma after hearing Ban, Gambari and council members. The United States and Britain called for strong measures like sanctions while China said the Burma people should resolve their own problems.
US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad expressed impatience with the inaction, saying it was "time for the council to do more than listen to briefings."
In Washington, the White House urged the council to respond "seriously" - including with possible sanctions. The US has already imposed sanctions on the regime's leadership, including a travel ban and an assets freeze.
"What we are considering is any further steps, whether it be additional sanctions or other types of actions," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.
Khalilzad said the US is ready to submit a draft resolution to impose sanctions on Burma's military junta, a move supported by British Ambassador John Sawers.
Sawers and Khalilzad said the situation in Burma is a threat to international peace and security, but that description was rejected by Chinese's Ambassador Wang Guangya, who also opposed a council statement suggested by his American counterpart.
Russia and some other council members preferred Gambari's diplomacy, saying that he should return to Burma as soon as possible. Ban said Gambari will return to that country in mid-November.
Singapore's Ambassador Vanu Gopala Menon told the council that any solution to the problems in Burma must include the military. His country currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which has condemned the repression of demonstrations.
"The military is a key institution in Burma that cannot be automatically wished away," Menon said, speaking as Asean chair. "If the military is not part of the solution, there will be no solution."
The Burma UN Ambassador U Kyaw Tint Swe, who also addressed the council, argued that Menon was not speaking as head of the Asean group at UN headquarters, but only in his national capacity.//dpa
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/06/regional/regional_30051562.php
Rather patronizing caption on the photo! I also half-suspect that Than Shwe wouldn't know her from Adam, as he is not exactly well-read:
Activist drawn to Myanmar
By FLORENCE A. SAMY
PETALING JAYA: She is known as “that Malaysian woman” among the Myanmar military junta and is introduced that way to foreign delegates.
Although her name is not mentioned, the foreign delegates know exactly whom the regime is referring to, as she is no stranger to Myanmar.
She is none other than Debbie Stothard, a Malaysian human rights activist who has struck a nervous chord among the much-hated junta.
Such was the junta’s fear that Stothard has been banned from entering Myanmar, a poverty-stricken country where recent protests saw unarmed monks killed for taking part in a democracy rally following a 500% fuel price increase.
“Being banned from Myanmar is like a badge of honour. I must be doing something right if they are trying to keep me out of the country,” she quipped when contacted in Bangkok recently.
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/10/7/nation/n_p12Stothard.jpg
[Photo: The Star - On the ground: Stothard conducting one of the many training sessions that Altsean-Burma organises to help Myanmars develop and improve themselves.]
She is in the centre of it all. Reportedly a confidante and spokesman of Aung San Suu Kyi, she is actively involved in the human rights movement in Myanmar and the fight to free Suu Kyi.
Stothard’s passion for Myanmar was ignited after the nationwide massacre in 1988, sparked off by an economic crisis and resulting in the deaths of more than 3,000 people following student-led anti-junta rallies.
“I had a very compelling call to get involved. Myanmars are very inspiring and resilient people who smile and still have a spirit of generosity despite their hardships.
“People are fascinated that I’m a Malaysian working on Myanmar, but for me, it is truly an honour and privilege. It is quite funny that more Myanmars know me than Malaysians,” she added.
However, Stothard, who is in her 40s, is no stranger to the fight against human rights violation, being part of it for more than 20 years in Malaysia and other Asean countries.
It has been over 10 years since Stothard visited Myanmar, but she still keeps abreast, especially through the Bangkok-based Altsean-Burma (Alternative Asean Network for Burma) where she works as a coordinator.
Altsean is a regional network of organisations and individuals that supports the human rights movement and democracy in Myanmar.
Stothard said Myanmars yearned to learn and positively change the community and were willing to walk through jungles laden with land mines just to learn how to better themselves.
“I don’t feel a sense of sacrifice in helping them but rather a sense of satisfaction to see how people and community transform for the better,” she added.
On the present protests and killing of monks, Stothard said it was not an overnight phenomenon and it had built up to a point where “it is now or never.”
“Everyone hates the military regime so much so that some lift their sarong at the military, which is the ultimate insult to them.
“People realise that no one is going to stand up for them and they have to do it on their own even if it means dying in a hail of bullets. The monks are trying to make a difference despite the risk faced. It is both tragic and inspiring,” she said.
Asean must have stronger political will to act against the junta and UN special envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari is obligated to ensure that the regime stops its brutal killings and human rights violation, she said.
Stothard met Suu Kyi in 1997 when the Nobel Peace Prize winner invited her for a meeting after hearing her voice over the radio.
“I’m amazed by her strong will and warmth and understand why she commands such respect,” said Stothard, whose days as a journalist and university student sparked her interest in the human rights cause.
Her stint as a journalist in The Star in the early 1980s (1981-1983) opened her eyes and exposed her to situations she never knew before.
“It has helped me to be resourceful and persistent and be a proactive communicator and do things that would have been a fantasy 10 to 20 years ago,” she said.
“I have no regrets. The experience has been exhilarating and satisfying. I am lucky to have family and friends who support me, although they initially thought I was crazy!”
On what the future holds for Myanmar, Stothard said she was looking forward to seeing a free Myanmar one day.
“Will it happen? Absolutely! I am convinced that it will be free in my lifetime. People in Myanmar are willing to take a bullet for freedom. The monks’ sacrifice and deaths should not be in vain,” she added.
Bangkok-based group in which Debbie Stothard works. Alternative ASEAN Network for Burma:
http://www.altsean.org/
Interactive map of the recent protests and the crackdown:
http://www.altsean.org/Photogalleries/ProtestsMap.php
http://www.myanmar.com/newspaper/nlm/
Paragraphs 9-12 are particularly recommended:
New Light of Myanmar
Ovada sought from Sayadaws of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee
Monks are to follow Viniya rules of the Buddha, rules and regulations and instructions
If they breach any one of those orders action may be taken against them
Nay Pyi Taw, 6 Oct � A ceremony to seek ovada from Sayadaws of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (All Ganas) was held at Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (Sudhamma) in Bahan Township, Yangon, yesterday afternoon.
Director of Yangon Division Administration Department U Hla Soe supplicated on religious matters saying violent disturbances occurred in some townships of Yangon Division due to some members of the Sangha and laypersons.
During the disturbances, monks of the monasteries who did not take part in the disturbances faced threats and insulting group throwing bottled water at their monasteries. Troublemakers committed assaults even on eminent monks.
The Minister for Religious Affairs presented the true events to State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee on 24 September 2007. The committee issued Directive No 93 the same day prohibiting all acts that violate Vinaya (discipline).
Yangon Division GAD imposed section 144 (curfew) in townships it deemed necessary in Yangon Division the next day. Disturbance-makers and some members of the Sangha organized and deceived by a certain party and other troublesome so-called �88' generation students, and bogus monks specially kept for causing unrest in defiance of curfew ganged together to incite unrest.
Security forces responsible for enforcing peace and stability and the rule of law in Yangon Division systematically restored the situation in accord with the law. But the violent protesters ganged up on security personnel and even tried to grab their weapons.
All the people including members of the religious order must observe laws enacted or issued by the State.
According to objective information, witnesses and other evidences, security forces had to carry out search of Ngwe Kyayan Pariyatti Sarthintaik, Dhamma Zeya, Shwetaungmaw and Satilayama monasteries in South Okkalapa Township, Dhammathukha monastery in Tamway Township, Moegaung monastery in Yankin Township, Meggin, Kyauksataw Ashe, Pyinnya Tagon, Dhamnma Waipula and Shwekyin Taikthit monasteries in Thingangyun Township, Mingalayama and Pyinnya Yamika monasteries in Botahtaung Township, Sasana Theikpan and Sasana Gonyi monasteries in Bahan Township, Takkathila Zeyathikdi Pahtan monastery in Dagon (East) Township, Thirizeya and Pandisayama monasteries in North Okkalapa Township, totalling 18 monasteries where U Gambhira, U Vicitta, U Obhasa, U Pakata, U Kovida, U Ottara, U Khanti, U Kusala, U Aggavamsa, U Neminda, U Nanataja, U Ottama, U Sinninda, U Janinda, U Kusala, Shin Gandera, U Vunnasara, U Tejaniya, U Kontinna, U Jatiya, U Candavara, U Kevala, U Somana, U Acitta, U Pannajota, U Kosalla, U Pannavamsa, U Nandobhasa and U Catila, who led, generated, participated and supported the disturbances were residing, due to unavoidable circumstances.
In the raid, the members could not differentiate between monks and novices and bogus ones. So, they took 513 monks, one novice, 167 men and 30 women for questioning.
It is regrettable that the operation revealed that in some monasteries, women sleep in the buildings where monks reside, and the members found 42 uncensored pornographic VCDs, one uncensored pornographic DVD, three pornographic books, two pornographic wall sheets, four pornographic photos, a Kama Siddhi treatise, a photo of a woman, 10 condoms, one sexual tonic medicine sachet, dildo (with belt), one statuette of a woman and a man hugging each other, 13 women's wear longyis (sarongs), eight panties, one purse, a love letter, perfume/glycerin bottles, men's wear longyis, T-shirts, Jeans, two cordless phones, three loan agreements, one men's wear Rolex wrist watch, 10 alcohol bottles, one 9mm pistol round of ammunition, 18 different kinds of swords, three wooden nanchatkus, one axe, six wooden rods, one iron rod, 13 catapults, documents about lists of bets, 30 booklets featuring football match fixtures and documents about football match bets, documents, ledgers and receipts about two-digit and three-digit illegal lotteries, three sets of playing cards, one anti-government poem book titled Thway Mawgun, one paper sheet featuring anti-government letter titled Nyinyut Kya Yin, three paper sheets featuring facts about Myanmar Young Monks Union, one diary dated on 18.9.2007 featuring expressions that Myanmar Young Monks Union made demands to the government, documents about news records and speeches of NLD, one badge of fighting peacock, �88� generation student group's invitation cards for Waso robes donation, one Nazi headband, and two US headbands.
After interrogating those who were taken from the monasteries, up to 5 October, 404 monks, one novice, 158 men and 30 women who were found innocent had been released. Now, 109 monks and nine men are under questioning.
Foreign media and anti-government groups made fabrications that in the incidents, there were casualties of some monks. In reality, only a dead body with a tattoo depicting party political affairs and a yellow robe on his neck was found to be floating in the Pazundaung creek. He was only a bogus monk wearing a yellow robe.
It was found that the internal and external elements did not even spare the monks practising Pariyatti and Patipatti in their monasteries and persuaded them to take to the streets. Their acts were in total disregard of the Sasana and the Buddha's teachings, and they attempted to tarnish the image of Buddha's Sasana and sow discord between the government and the people. As a result, the Sasana as well as the country was affected. So it proved that the destructionists were sticking to the means of confrontation and utter devastation.
As U Gambira, U Vicitta, U Obhasa and U Padaka, who led the instigation to cause disturbances, escaped, the Sayadaws and members of the Sangha are requested to expose bogus monks. Although authorities and security members pay respects to the real monks, they had to take action against those bogus monks trying to tarnish the image of the Sasana in order to ensure community peace and tranquillity, the rule of law and perpetuity of the Sasana. Therefore, the Sayadaws and members of the Sangha who are safeguarding the Sasana are requested to give Ovada.
Later, Chairman of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (Shwekyin) Sayadaw of Sasana Alinyaung Monastery in Dawbon Township Bhaddanta Jotika, Chairman of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (Muladwara) Sayadaw of Gandayon Monastery Bhaddanta Jayasena, Chairman of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (Weiluwun) Sayadaw of Bilin Monastery in Sangyoung Township Bhaddanta Pannawbhasa and Chairman of Yangon Division Sangha Nayaka Committee (Thudama) Sayadaw of Legaing Monastery in Dalla Township Bhaddanta Ardisavamsa gave the Ovada.
They said that as the security members could not distinguish real monks and novices from bogus ones they had to take monks and novices they had found. But the monks and novices who were found innocent have been released and sent back to their monasteries. Action will be taken against those involved in the violent protests in accord with the law. Those who got involved unwittingly in and those being threatened to join the protests have been released.