[view all of my posts about the Burma Demonstrations by clicking here]
The protests in Burma have made it to the front page of The New York Times today. To read about the 100,000 plus who marched, as well as to see a wonderful picture, read here:
Let’s try to put these protests into a bit of context. Burma(currently known as Myanmar) has been attempting Democracy since the fifties. The usual story occured, filled with puppet presidents, military coups and various squelched rebellions.
The story really picks up in the late 1980s. Pro-democracy demonstrations began and they ousted the dictatorship of Ne Win. More generals seized power, though, by brutally crushing the protesters. Thousands died as the generals/dictators gunned down the protesters and demonstrators.
In 1990, elections were held and the National League for Democracy won the majority of seats in the government’s elections. The military-run State Law and Order Restoration Council declared the elections invalid and Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the NLD, was placed under house arrest. She has been under house arrest on and off, being released for short periods of time and then returned to having military guards outside her home, ever since and was seen for the first time in four years last week when the monks travelled to her home.
The monks have been marching since September 17th, 2007and since then the public has joined them. Over the weekend, 100,000 people marched, about 5,000 of whom were young Buddhist monks. These protests began for a number of reasons. Some are marching in response to economic conditions (the marches began as the government raised fuel prices in this very poor Asian country). Others are marching in response to the cruelty of the government. Still others are just marching because they want more Democracy, a link that has been strengthened each time the monks have lead the demonstrators to Aung San Suu Kyi’s home.
The junta (the government run military) has been careful about how it deals with these protests. The Buddhist monks in Burma are considered the conscience of the country (the young monks who are protesting claim that, as the country’s conscience, they must do something about the situation of average people in Burma). The monks are also revered. A violent response toward the monks could, and likely would, incite major riots throughout the country. The monks have, to say it simply, put the junta in a tough spot.
Since the demonstrations began, the Burmese government has not acknowledged the actions of the monks or their followers. Television and radio in the country, run by the government, have not covered the story. The information that is spreading is spreading thanks to new technologies like the internet, which the government has been unable to control.
But today the situation has changed again. After a week of demonstrations, after a week of red robed monks marching and saying, “May there be peace”, the Burmese government has warned the monks to stop their demonstrations. The government has told senior Buddhist monks to control the younger monks who are protesting. If the monks don’t stop demonstrating, the government will be forced to take action. At the same time, U.S. President, George W. Bush has announced increased military sanctions against the Burmese government and against governments that support it. This, he says, will help the growing movement for democracy in Burma. The end results of this, he hopes, will be the end of the dictatorship in Burma and the spread of Democracy throughout the country (and perhaps throughout Asia).
I can’t exactly say why I am so fascinated by this story. I’ve talked in recent posts about the beauty of the images that relate to this story. And certainly the peaceful demonstrations against an evil dictatorship inspire hope that the world may yet be saved.
I also am struck by this wonderful use of religion. So often those on the left are plagued by religious groups who are doing things to fight what we consider civil liberties (abortion, same sex marriage) or who are fighting science (stem cell research, evolution). Here we see the power of religion to lift a people up. Here we see the ability of religion to fight for justice and equality. Here we have an example of how religion can inspire a people to stand up for themselves.
I hope the demonstrations continue in Burma and I hope the sanctions imposed hurt the government (but not the people — though the usual effect of sanctions is to make innocent, poor people more poor while having little, if any, effect on the government under sanction). I hope violence doesn’t break out and I hope our news doesn’t have to start covering the brutal assassinations and mass murders of monks and poor people (it would be a shame for CNN to start covering this story in prime time only after violence breaks out).
But maybe there is a powerful, maybe even industrialized, nation that can use all of its political, economic and military prestige and strength to support this pro-democracy movement against a violent, totalitarian, oppressive dictatorship. Anyone able to take this supportive role? Anyone who hasn’t already committed all of their resources in another area of the globe?
Much of my education about this story came from the following sources:
100,000 Turn Out for Myanmar Protest
Myanmar government warns monks
The New York Times: Myanmar
Bush to Impose Sanctions on Myanmar
The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th Edition: “Myanmar”
Other posts about this topic include:
Wild Chihuahuas: Where Are Our Monks
Hard Talks: 1000,000 turn out for Myanmar protest
Petunias: More Burma
Myanmar Burma News: Mok Revolution In Burma
Rule of Lords: Saffron Revolution
With Bowl and Rice: Burma: In Praise of the Buddhist Monks
whereinsoever: the road to myanmar looks bleak, folks
Burma Review: India can’t afford to be a fense sitter in Burma’s struggle for Democracy
Myanmar Ethnic Rehingyas Human Rights Organization Malaysia: FACTS ABOUT CHINA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH BURMA’S MILITARY REGIME
Andrew Sullivan’s The Daily Dish: A Saffron Revolution?
UPDATED 9/25/07: 6:28 PM
Two new developments out of Burma today. The protests did continue, this time with 35,000 people and with an estimated 10,000 of those being Buddhist monks. They traveled the streets chanting, “Democracy, democracy.” In response, a nightime curfew has been imposed and all gatherings of more than five people have been banned.
During the demonstrations today, there were no overt signs of the police or the junta. But after the demonstrators left, riot police and troops moved in, filling up the city’s center. At the same time, witnesses claim that Aung San Suu Kyi was taken from her home and moved to Insein prison. This would take a powerful symbol away from the demonstrators as they would no longer be able to march to her (though they, theoretically, could march to her home still). Read more about these events:
UPDATED 9/25/07: 6:28 PM
I am attempting to change all references to Myanmar into references to Burma. Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for reminding me that the violent and repressive anti-democracy generals are the ones who changed the name from Burma to Myanmar.
UPDATED 9/26/07: 11:14 PM
More news out of Burma today. The monks (and civilians) continued their protests, despite the government’s ban on gatherings. Shots were fired. The Associated Press has confirmed that the government’s security forces have killed one person and wounded three. Witnesses claim at least five people are dead (including monks), but that information has not been confirmed. Read more:
Violent crackdown launched in Myanmar
Police Clash With Monks in Myanmar
And on the blogs:
Asian Students Association: Burma: SPDC Responds to Monks’ Protest with Violence
Burma Digest: Photo: Bloody Crack Down in Burma
Andrew Sullivan’s The Daily Dish: Burma on the Brink
Framed: Courage
And an editorial from The New York Times:
UPDATED 9/26/07: 3:30 PM
This post is getting so long that I have decided to put all further updates into a new post. So if you’ve read this and want to know what has happened after this, go read “What’s Going On in Burma, Part Two.“
[view all of my posts about the Burma Demonstrations by clicking here]
Filed under: Burma, George Bush, Iraq, News, Politics
