Blogger Niknayman has a list of names and affiliations of over 300 monks and civilians who have been arrested by the Myanmar Military Regime. Many are from the National League of Democracy, the party led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Newspapers across Asia are putting the number of detained people at 1500. Democratic Voice of Burma, a Norwegian organization reports that the number of arrested is much higher at over 2000. Death toll is rumoured to be in the hundreds, though the Myanmar Junta refuses to confirm the official number.
Democratic Voice of Burma is quoting this announcement from Ko Sein Lin, a 1988 Generation worker. In 1988, there was a similar protest against the Myanmar Junta, led mostly by the students. These protests were brutally crushed by the Junta and over 3000 people were thought to have been killed and many more tortured.
Ko Sein Lin urges the rest of the workers to join in the protest against the Myanmar Junta:
Only the citizens of Myanmar should be the Mother and the Father of the country. (The Myanmar Junta has repeatedly tried to brainwash the citizens by trying to elevate the army's status as that of being the parents of the country.)
During the “Sangha's heroic act of peaceful defiance against the Junta”:
1) Many monks, students and civilians have been ruthlessly killed, beaten and tortured by the evil Junta, in a bid to crackdown on the protests. We workers from the 1988 generation vehemently oppose these acts of violence.
2) We urge the workers in the government sector and also those in the public companies to look upon the flag of the Sangha (monks) and to be united as one and we also urge the founders and CEOs of the public and private companies to support the workers' unity.
3) We, 88 Generation workers would like to announce that we will unite with the citizens of Myanmar, in protest against the evil Myanmar Junta and will join in the fight against the military regime, until they are wiped out.
The citizens of Myanmar should study the legendary history of Myanmar (where we have been victorious) and be prepared to fight as one, even if there were to be bloodshed. [author's note: this sentence was especially difficult to translate as it was a Myanmar idiom that does not exist in English but yours truly has tried her best to convey the meaning behind it]
We would like to request that all workers cease work and to join in the protest against the evil Junta.
-Workers from the 88 Generation
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To stop the military junta’s cruelty in Burma take away their financial support by boycotting the companies still doing business with the Burmese government. Companies like Total SA, Chevron, Daewoo and any travel companies operating tours there. The government spends half it’s budget on the military and it gets it’s money from these companies. Stop buying from these companies, they are immoral in their conduct and have a duty to the human rights in the countries they deal with which they do not uphold. Check out:-
http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/dirty_list/dirty_list_details.html for a full list of the companies involved
I think it is time for the world to react to the junta with force. It is my understanding that Than Shwe lives a lavish and decadent lifestyle while the burmese people struggle and starve. They are commiting acts of genocide in an effort to eliminate various ethnic minority groups. There were free and open elections in 1990 where Ang San Suu Kyi and the pro-democracy party won by a huge margin, but the Junta refused to accept the results. Dissent was then suppressed with the use of extreme force and murder, the same way it is being suppressed right now. If these facts are true, the Junta are no better than the Nazi party, and they should be removed by force immediately. The pro-democracy party that won the election in 1990 should be installed in their place, and new elections should be held as soon as possible to legitimize the new government. Only then will I be able to sleep at night. This nightmare makes me appreciate the freedom that too many Americans take for granted. I have great respect for the monks who gave their lives to turn the world’s attention to the Junta. In return I will not rest until people everywhere in the world have the freedom to choose their own destiny. Every life that is taken by these monsters is precious and beautiful to me. I will never understand those who do not see this beauty in others.
The evil Than Shwe and his generals of the ruling military junta should be PUT ON TRIAL by the international Court of Justice, just like Pol Pot and his cronies were, for committing such demonic and inhumane atrocities against their own defenceless people purely for self gratification reasons (they do not wish to give up their rotten power). They have plundered the rich natural resources of Burma for the purpose of not only increasing their weaponry to be used against their own citizens but also to enjoy living in luxury (like Than Shwe’s daughter’s excessivly extravagant wedding) while the citizens of Burma starve.
How can these evil soldiers call themselves Buddhists if they are ready to kill the defenceless Monks. I hope they reap their terrible karma very soon - they belong in Hell. I hope the “baloos” (demons) get them.
[...] Vale a pena ler o Avaaz e o Global Voices. [...]
[...] 4, 2007 6:18 AM The Burmese junta is now searching out the activists who marched peacefully and hauling them away. Please go to http://www.free-burma.org to learn more, as well as the invaluable Global Voices Online. [...]
I the blogging day for Burma standing yet? here is my point of view:
A malagasy voice for freedom:http://jentilisa.blaogy.com/post/122/3464
I received this text message today from a Roman Catholic Priest, if you have a heart for humanity, please forward this to everyone in the world:
FROM A BURMESE PRIEST:
Dear All, Please pray for Burma. They already killed more than 10,000 monks and those injured were cremated alive to give lesson to people in the west. It’s hell now here, people are helpless and have nowhere to turn to. No immediate solution. Please help us and forward this message to anyone you wish. Please wear red for bloodshed in Burma. Our government is a terrorist government. Please pray for us. Thank you.
Don’t you think it’s about time the world powers should do something about this?
Jong - I did not know the numbers have risen to 10,000. I am extremely shocked even though I suspected it. i will try to investigate the actual numbers.
I did hear the rumours of monks being cremated alive.
This morning, I was going to leave a comment of peace, I was going to say - no, we must not use brutal force against those who have wronged us.
then by mid afternoon, i thought, maybe just the invasion would be ok - but then I don’t want to end up like east timor or Iraq!
And the UN is having problems keeping their UN troops in Africa afloat as it is and the Republicans in the US, so near election 2008, will not let any more American Soldiers die in another country - they already look bad for sending the troops to Iraq as it is.
I think the strongest actions to be taken now lies at the hands of China, Singapore, India and Thailand and maybe also Korea and Japan to an extent. You see, the first 4 countries are heavily invested in Burma and are not saying anything except “please use restraint”. As long as they continue to line the pockets of the Junta - the military regime with its unabashedly cruel ways, will remain. My opinion anyway.
I received this email from a friend, who has friends from Thailand, Please read, it is meant to be read by the people of the world I have removed their name for their safety
Subject: bludgeoning monks by the ‘lone-tein’
We just got phone call with our sister living in Yangon about a few hours ago.
We saw on BBC world, saying that 200 monks were arrested. The true picture is far worse!!!!!!!!!
For one instance, the monastery at an obscure neighborhood of Yangon, called Ngwe Kyar Yan (on Wei-za-yan-tar Road, Yangon) had been raided early this morning.
A troop of lone-tein (riot police comprised of paid thugs) protected by the military trucks, raided the monastery with 200 studying monks. They systematically ordered all the monks to line up and banged and crushed each one’s head against the brick wall of the monastery. One by one, the peaceful, non resisting monks, fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Then, they tore off the red robes and threw them all in the military trucks (like rice bags) and took the bodies away.
The head monk of the monastery, was tied up in the middle of the monastery, tortured , bludgeoned, and later died the same day, today. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the monastery, warded off by troops with bayoneted rifles, unable to help their helpless monks being slaughtered inside the monastery. Their every try to forge ahead was met with the bayonets.
When all is done, only 10 out of 200 remained alive, hiding in the monastery. Blood stained everywhere on the walls and floors of the monastery.
Please tell your audience of the full extent of the fate of the monks please please !!!!!!!!!!!!
‘Arrested’ is not enough expression. They have been bludgeoned to death !!!!!!
Viva o povo da Birmânia!
Viva a Democracia.
Abaixo a tirania.
The junta had shown the world that they are willing to do anything to keep the firm grip on power. They can attack, maim, kill and torture the monks, even the images of Lord Buddha. The junta sent the hard-core criminal to carry out the night raids in Monasteries. We could hear the cries coming out during the night raid. The junta is still looking 4 more monke to torture and beat to death and disability. At the same time, they gave the packs of lies to Burmese people and world media. What an evil power the junta is! Please respond to the calls made by defenseless people of Burma by sending in UN troops now to stop the daily systematic killing by junta. PLEASE ACT NOW FOR OPPRESSED and DEFENSELESS People.UN and International bodies got enough people mandate to rescue them.
Why do you people ignore the fact George Soros’ OSI has been bank rolling this uprise?
The Burmese democracy activists have openly acknowleged receiving support from OSI. Add on qusai-government organization like NED funded Einstein Institute operated by CIA officer Col. Rober Helvey - and people wonder why.
Are you going talk about America’s privatization of foreign policy, where cold-war warriors justify their exsitence by spending their ill-gotten gains on behalf of Uncle Sam?
Are you going to remind them George Soros was the one who destroyed the Thai Baht back in 1997?
as i see the current events in burma, i see it’s really disturbing. the military should act as the protector of the country and the constitution. but now, look at the junta. they only protecting their lavish lives and corruption. they killing people even the monks! i never realized killing a holy man. monks are the most cool-tempered persons on earth and i was sad that monks are brutally killed by those so-called “defenders of the country”.
people of burma alone cannot stand the evil power of the junta, they need our support and we should act right now to stop the killings and end the junta dictatorship.
PEOPLE OF BURMA HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE DEMOCRATICALLY AND PEACE.
Thila,
While we all agree that the Burmese government needs to be overthrown and tried in court, I must correct your account of Pol Pot. The guy was never subjected to any trial.
china is happy to keep the military junta on its side, to safe guard its own interests.
just imagine for a moment, should this evil regime collaspe, the burmese will punish the chinese for its support of junta.
now, china will not sacrifice its interests for the lives of the poor burmese.
We should stop blaming others, hoping from others. I am convinced that it is enough for us to fight these destroyer of country, fistly downgrade education, secondly ruined religion, thirdly submit to wicked chinese earth and water.
Sqaurely we face problem, we had lack of unity and leadership, by this I mean that we should fight prepared battle with good unity and trained leadership rather than emotional one. While I acknowledge that NLD is strongest institution to fight evil, I would like to argue that NLD has lack of plan and regeneration of new leadership, we can witness clearly the achievement of NCGUB.
In my opinion, we should learn from our failure and prepare for coming struggle. I would like to conclude that,
Firstly, we have to nurture new generation leadership,
Secondly, we should have movement, every movement has potential to growth.
Thirdly, rather than we just hope outside powers to fullfill our needs, we have to bear this needs as our responsibilties. If necessery we should arms ourselves.
There is a will, there is a way.
Wake up all burmese, we will win this battle.
It is time to help the oppressed helples people of Burma. The problems as followed.
1. The Junta does not understand civilised ways of peaceful negotiation, settlements or international mediation.
2. The junta is very very racist and immatured. They had never learned any from their life. It is really shameful for the respectful parents and ancestors. How were they brought up?
3. Please look at the History. The armed struggle of ANC to liberate the apertheid South Africa. The same thing happened to free Burma from Facist Japanese occupied force in 1940s. We must learn. Now it is time for ARMED STRUGGLE to remove THE EVIL JUNTA FROM BURMA, BY FORCE. We need helps from UN and Democracy countries.
This is the reality now. We do not need consent from China or India and even ASEAN to carry out arm struggle.
Comments are wellcome.