Protests in Burma
The bad news for the monks who have decided their deaths will bring the international community to the rescue of the people of Burma is they are wrong. The UN seems powerless to do anything. Those nations whose administrations have the power to do something won't - either they don't care or they don't want to mess near China's turf. The general population of North America is still trying to figure out where Burma/Myanmar is located. All-in-all the response, the help the people in this country that has been ruled by brutal military suppression for more than 18 years isn't coming.The international community, once again, has failed a group of people that desperately need their help.
Zapiro, the editorial cartoonist from South Africa's Mail & Guardian gives his opinion:
The woman standing up to the tank is Anug San Suu Kyi - Burma's own Nelson Mandela (she has been under house arrest on-and-off for the last 18 years). After being democratically elected int he 1980's she was over thrown by the military junta that has ruled the country since. Her family was exiled and went back to the UK, she was given the choice to leave, but decided to stay for her people. When her husband was dying of cancer in the late 90's the junta again gave her the opportunity to leave (and never come back), he was not allowed into Burma. She stayed, he died.
Aung San Suu Kyi is an icon to her people, and her freedom is one of the main things the protesters in Burma want.
A free press is Burma is virtually non-existent right now. The internet has been shut down and foreign reporters blocked from entering. Those that sneak into the country have had to maintain a very low profile or risk being shot, as was the Japanese photojournalist. However, some organizations operating with in the country, such as the Free Burma Rangers, have managed to sneak footage of the protests out. Al Jazeera has also managed to gain access to the streets with a video camera. Here are some of their latest clips.
(Backgrounder: Burma's name was changed to Myanmar when the military overthrew the democratically elected government. Many nations (the UK and USA) choose not to give legitimacy to the name and refer to it as Burma, Canada however, refers to the country as Myanmar. Same applies for the capital city Rangoon - it was changed to Yangon. This is why depending on what news you follow the name of the location changes. BBC uses Burma & Rangoon, CTV uses Myanmar & Yangon, and for some weird reason the Globe and Mail uses Myanmar & Rangoon
posted by Angela @ 8:41 a.m.
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