10.07.2007

Banned in Burma

In the pro democracy demonstrations led by Buddhist monks in Burma last month, soldiers fired into the crowds of peaceful marchers. A Japanese photojournalist was killed; shot down on the street. Monks were beaten, hauled off to prisons, and monasteries were turned upside down and then locked down. The military regime, which I won't dignify by calling it a government, says 10 protesters were killed in the crackdown on free speech, while pro democracy activists say the number is much higher. If any of Burma's military reads this, I want to ask you: do you share the same Buddhist faith as your country men and woman and do you believe in Karma. After shooting innocent people and Buddhist monks, what will your karma look like?



Aung San Suu Kyi, beloved 62 year old freedom fighter and pro democracy icon, remains under house arrest as she has for about twelve of the past eighteen years. UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari met with Suu Kyi twice last week as well as with the Than Shwe and his gang of despotic generals who have maintained an iron grip on Burma since 1990, when they ignored the landslide election victory for Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. The military has controlled Burma for 45 years. Despite a wealth of natural resources, the regime, through incompetent management and greed, has turned Burma into one of the poorest Asian countries, where there is forced labor--slave labor--of not only men, but women, children and the elderly.


With world attention now on the brutality of Burma's regime against its own people, and against the revered Buddhist monks, General Than Shwe has finally consented to a meeting with Suu Kyi, the rightful leader of Burma-- but only if Suu Kyi "gives up her confrontational attitude. "


Although the regime renamed Burma "Myanmar," it should have called it Bizarro. Confrontational? Shooting and killing Buddhist monks is confrontational. Shooting down a journalist armed only with a camera is confrontational. Beating peaceful demonstrators is confrontational. Locking down a woman who has devoted her life to democracy and freedom for her people at the expense of her personal life is confrontational. It's beyond confrontational. It's wacko, it's inhuman, it's bizarro.


And while the bizarro rulers in Burma continue their crackdown on free speech, and their attacks against human rights include internet blackouts and censorship, know this: blogspot.com is banned in Burma!



FREE BURMA! FREE AUNG SAN SUU KYI!

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