Burma/Myanmar uprising

i'm surprised this isn't being discussed already, but for those of you who have not seen there have been a growing uprising in Burma led by the respected Buddhist Monks, protesting against the military junta in charge of the country.

this was widely publicised in the news last week with picture mainly coming through the internet of the peaceful demos, however since then, the militaryu government have shut down all external links with the world, inclduuing the internet, so no real news or pictures are getting out the reports that are coming out are of many hundreds (thousands? ;( ) of the monks being arrested, beaten and detained, other protetsers being dealt with brutally and a death toll of hundreds if not thousands, being reported by some.

over the weekend there were reports of a Japanese reporter being shot dead at pont blank range whilst trying to film clips to get out on the internet, his body identified by his family by photos of the event happening!

why as a supposed civilised world can we allow this to go on, with just threats of sanctions and little more, there are in excess of 50million people in Burma, many in abject poverty and displaced, whilst the country is rich in natural resources.

i hope that the reports that are avoiding the news blackout are exaggertaed, but i fear that we are in a repeat of the brutal putdown of the last uprising back in the 80's.

for more see here

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle3018349.ece

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle3013126.ece

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle3008095.ece

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle3007115.ece

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...ic/7024825.stm

there are many other links from the BBC page.

i wish there was something i could do, we spend far too much time, money and effort focusing on some ill advised campaigns and watch from afar whilst genuine human rights atrocities carry on, i'm really angry that this can be allowed to go on

My off hand guess would be that none of the "rich natural resources" are of a strategic value, in short supply, or vital to the world economy.

And hence no pressure by any of the so-called guardians of democracy on the military rule or atrocities in Myanmar either.

Just like Musharraf can continue to be a dictator in a previously democratic (I use the word loosely) country just because he is deemed useful or the status quo is better than doing what you preach normally..(off topic!)

Only if there is a sighting of Maddy in Myanmar maybe other governments/media will look at that country? :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Storm

Only if there is a sighting of Maddy in Myanmar maybe other governments/media will look at that country? :)

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I maybe shouldn't laugh at that point, but I have...

Sadly, it's difficult to see what form any intervention would take. I agree with the views about the reasons why we haven't done anything. Neither does it help that there are no TV pictures of what's been going on there, for I suspect that a lot of people would care more if there were.

What exactly can you do from afar, anyway?

I'd like to know most what everyday life is like there at the moment. I mean, how do you live with so much fear?

The example of Burma is an absolute disgrace. If the United States or any country were to be taken seriously about their so called promotion of democracy, this should be the first country they look at. I tell you what, a military intervention here would cause a whole lot less headaches than what post invasion Iraq has caused the USA. They already have widespread support of democracy and a woman who has already been elected leader in democratic elections. So whats the issue? All the international community seem to be able to organise are sanctions that haven't worked in 17 years since the Junta took power!

Quite frankly, I hope the United States refrains from "liberating" any more countries without 1 - truly and fully understanding the culture of the country under consideration for liberation and 2 - a majority of popular support within the country under consideration for liberation and majority of support from the UN and 3 - once mr. evil and his henchmen have been tossed, get out. If the locals want to loot and destroy their own society, worship a block of wood, slip into 20 years of civil war, set up a dictator, set up a democracy, or go communist, fine. Let them. You wanted old so & so thrown out, fine, he's gone. The fact that you can't behave yourselves now that so & so is gone is your problem, not ours.

For some, the alternatives of "liberation" are just as bad, if not worse, than their previous "oppression'.

There are a few conflicts going on that the west is ignoring, just have a look at the Congo. That conflict dwarfs any other conflict at the moment and you will never hear about it on the news. And the Congo conflict is all about resources.

Am I missing something? A lot of world leaders have spoken out against the government in Burma. It's not being ignored like people seem to be suggesting......

but speaking out is acheiving nothing, sanctions ave acheived nothing, aprt from depriving the population.

the population themselves have clearly reached the end of their tether and are attempting to change things, and by getting some recognition on the internet, hoped the world would notice and help them, however the links have been cut, people are being killed and now the protesters are fleeing or being detained. those living there clearly are in fear of their lives and don't have any ort of power against the military so can do little without some assitance other than standing up and making themselves heard - which they so far have only acheived being quashed again.

i don't know what the solution is, but certainly not enough is being done to help