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avadsome basics to know
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Free Burma
Date: 29 Sep 2007, 14:24
Q: What touched off the current demonstrations in Myanmar?
A: The trigger was the military regime's huge hike of fuel prices, which caused the cost of public transport -- used by most people in Myanmar -- to also rise. But the protests also reflect long-standing discontent with the repressive military regime, and were initiated by veteran pro-democracy activists.
Q: What do the demonstrators want?
A: The original demands were for the fuel price to be dropped again and other measures to ease people's economic burdens in one of Asia's poorest nations. But they also include apologies for mistreating monks during a demonstration. More importantly, they have broadened to include the release of all political prisoners including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. There is no official leadership of the protest movement, however, so the demands are not universally recognized.
Q: Why are monks involved and what role do they play in society?
A: Buddhist monks have traditionally spearheaded movements for social and political change, against British colonialism as well as post-independence military dictatorships. They were very active in a failed 1988 pro-democracy uprising, as well as 1990 protests that were put down over several months with raids on hundreds of pagodas and the arrests of hundreds of monks. Monks are revered by the majority of the nation's predominantly Buddhist population as the conscience of society.
Q: Will the military government pay heed to international pressure? Who has leverage on the junta and why?
A: Myanmar's government so far has been able to shrug off harsh criticism and economic and political sanctions applied by the U.S. and other Western nations. It has survived by cultivating investment in its potentially vast oil and gas reserves. Neighboring China and India curry favor with the junta because of Myanmar's strategic location and resources. China is the regime's main ally, supplying the most aid and diplomatic muscle at international forums.
Q: The U.S. government announced sanctions on Myanmar; will they have an impact? What is the history of the U.S. in Myanmar?
A: As long as the military government can turn to other sources for support, any sanctions are likely to be ineffective. Some analysts argue that by so completely ostracizing the regime, Washington loses any chance at influencing it or elements in the military to make reforms. To Americans, the country is best known for its role as a World War II theater that was a back road into China, with troops fighting in the jungle and pilots flying supply missions over the nearby Himalayas. Its most famous citizens are Suu Kyi, the 1990 Nobel peace laureate, and the late U Thant, who served as U.N. secretary general.
Q: What does Myanmar have that the world wants?
A: Myanmar's location on the Indian Ocean makes it a desirable outlet to the sea for its northern neighbor China. That fact makes it important for China's regional rival, India. The country is rich in natural resources, with offshore natural gas topping the list. But it also has valuable mineral deposits and is one of the world's biggest suppliers on gem stones. It is also a source of illicit drugs, being the world's second-biggest producer of opium and its derivative, heroin, as well as a major exporter of methamphetamine. The government claims to be trying to suppress the drug trade.
Q: Is the country's name Myanmar or Burma?
A: In 1989, Burma officially changed its name in English to the Union of Myanmar and renamed the capital, Rangoon, as Yangon, bringing the English names into conformance with their pronunciation in the national tongue. The nationality -- Burmese -- also was changed to Myanmar. Government officials said the change in the country's name was to better reflect Burma's ethnic diversity. The term "Burma" connotes Burman -- the country's dominant ethnicity -- to the exclusion of minorities who have fought for greater autonomy from the central government. Many who regard the military junta as illegitimate continue to call the country Burma.
----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Free Burma
Date: 29 Sep 2007, 14:24
Q: What touched off the current demonstrations in Myanmar?
A: The trigger was the military regime's huge hike of fuel prices, which caused the cost of public transport -- used by most people in Myanmar -- to also rise. But the protests also reflect long-standing discontent with the repressive military regime, and were initiated by veteran pro-democracy activists.
Q: What do the demonstrators want?
A: The original demands were for the fuel price to be dropped again and other measures to ease people's economic burdens in one of Asia's poorest nations. But they also include apologies for mistreating monks during a demonstration. More importantly, they have broadened to include the release of all political prisoners including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. There is no official leadership of the protest movement, however, so the demands are not universally recognized.
Q: Why are monks involved and what role do they play in society?
A: Buddhist monks have traditionally spearheaded movements for social and political change, against British colonialism as well as post-independence military dictatorships. They were very active in a failed 1988 pro-democracy uprising, as well as 1990 protests that were put down over several months with raids on hundreds of pagodas and the arrests of hundreds of monks. Monks are revered by the majority of the nation's predominantly Buddhist population as the conscience of society.
Q: Will the military government pay heed to international pressure? Who has leverage on the junta and why?
A: Myanmar's government so far has been able to shrug off harsh criticism and economic and political sanctions applied by the U.S. and other Western nations. It has survived by cultivating investment in its potentially vast oil and gas reserves. Neighboring China and India curry favor with the junta because of Myanmar's strategic location and resources. China is the regime's main ally, supplying the most aid and diplomatic muscle at international forums.
Q: The U.S. government announced sanctions on Myanmar; will they have an impact? What is the history of the U.S. in Myanmar?
A: As long as the military government can turn to other sources for support, any sanctions are likely to be ineffective. Some analysts argue that by so completely ostracizing the regime, Washington loses any chance at influencing it or elements in the military to make reforms. To Americans, the country is best known for its role as a World War II theater that was a back road into China, with troops fighting in the jungle and pilots flying supply missions over the nearby Himalayas. Its most famous citizens are Suu Kyi, the 1990 Nobel peace laureate, and the late U Thant, who served as U.N. secretary general.
Q: What does Myanmar have that the world wants?
A: Myanmar's location on the Indian Ocean makes it a desirable outlet to the sea for its northern neighbor China. That fact makes it important for China's regional rival, India. The country is rich in natural resources, with offshore natural gas topping the list. But it also has valuable mineral deposits and is one of the world's biggest suppliers on gem stones. It is also a source of illicit drugs, being the world's second-biggest producer of opium and its derivative, heroin, as well as a major exporter of methamphetamine. The government claims to be trying to suppress the drug trade.
Q: Is the country's name Myanmar or Burma?
A: In 1989, Burma officially changed its name in English to the Union of Myanmar and renamed the capital, Rangoon, as Yangon, bringing the English names into conformance with their pronunciation in the national tongue. The nationality -- Burmese -- also was changed to Myanmar. Government officials said the change in the country's name was to better reflect Burma's ethnic diversity. The term "Burma" connotes Burman -- the country's dominant ethnicity -- to the exclusion of minorities who have fought for greater autonomy from the central government. Many who regard the military junta as illegitimate continue to call the country Burma.
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no subject
Date: 2007-09-29 07:58 pm (UTC):)
no subject
Date: 2007-09-30 03:56 pm (UTC)I'm following the conflict on BBC news and remembering my time in Burma... The Burmese people are the kindest, gentlest people I have ever encountered...I hope something positive can come out of this terrible conflict...
no subject
Date: 2007-10-01 05:27 am (UTC)From: Tashi Wangchuk <wangchukster@gmail.com>
Date: 28 Sep 2007 10:44
Subject: Some Fact from Yangoon
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 !!!!!!
Aye Aye
Hong Kong
--
Tashi Wangchuk
P.o Box 1287
Kathmandu. NEPAL
no subject
Date: 2007-10-01 09:45 pm (UTC)a friend of mine also heard this:
according to the democratic voice of burma, the aforementioned radio station in oslo, norway sources inside rangoon report of a morgue where there are 200 bodies from the demonstrations, many of which are monks. the 200 bodies have been ordered burned in secret by the junta.
*sigh* I truly cannot comprehend this.