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The Saffron Revolution

The Burmese junta is one of the nastiest governments on the world.

Down there with Mugabe and King Jong Il it has conducted the impoverishment and oppression of an ancient and dignified culture.

From having been the wealthiest country in Asia upon gaining independence in 1948, the dictatorship that seized power in 1962 has pursued a catastrophic economic mismanagement of the country. For example, replacing all the kyat notes divisible by ten with notes only divisible by nine- a more"auspicious" number, then moving the capital from Rangoon to an isolated clearing in the jungle called Naypyidaw.

In 1988 the Burmese people rebelled, and chose Aung San Suu Kyi as their leader in free elections. However the kooks in the regime are also utterly ruthless, and massacres of thousands took place before the revolution was stilled and the cruel, corrupt and rapacious tyranny was resumed.

Now, once again, the Burmese are openly struggling for their rights and defying the junta. Rumours abound that more massacres are planned.

When I was a teenager I first became involved in the struggle for Baltic freedom. At the time it seemed an impossible cause, yet miracles happened, and largely peacefully the USSR disintegrated and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania gained their freedom.

I dare to hope that Burma too will achieve her freedom. As the peaceful demonstrations grow across the country, is it too much to ask that the UK will join the United States in isolating the vile regime and lend practical support to the protesters?

The time has come to condemn the junta and stand up for the human rights of the Burmese that have been crushed for so long under a capricious and cruel regime.

Support the Saffron Revolution! Isolate the Junta!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Noble sentiments I applaud Cicero. But what exactly can we do the US can't? India would like to do something but can't because of fear of Chinese influence. So long as Beijing stands by them, there is little to be done externally. One hopeful? sign is the suggestion that it maybe down to Beijing that the machine guns haven't come out already. But Cicero the men at the junta top will not want to answer for what they've already done, and will do anything. The only hope is that some of the officers and men who will actually have to pull the trigger have consciences

BTW When will we hear from up North


Lepidus
Anonymous said…
Cicero, yes, I agree with Lepidus. The key here is China. Burma/Myanmar is essentially a Chinese puppet state, used as a strategic peg to keep its influence in the Indian Ocean. They are using Burmese territory for military purposes, just to frustrate India and continue to threaten Thailand with 2 prongs.

Once you deal with the China problem, Burma will be free since their military junta will have no support.

m
Martin Veart said…
As the other commentators have already pointed out, China is the key. Just as Latin America is the (would be) backyard of the USA, Burma is in China's sphere of influence.

China does not give an damn who is in charge as long as two factors are observed:

1. the resourses keep flowing

2. the government does not change in such a fashion that lends example to peoples of other nations in the region to overthrow their rulers.

The timing is unfortunate as far as the Chinese are concerned. Any other time they would have probably advised the Junta in Burma to do as they see fit, regardless of the blood-bath that would result. Now however, there is the Olympic factor to consider. The gaining of these games was a victory for China but also leads to vulnerability.

Burma is a weapon in the hands of the realpolitikians of this world.

Meanwhile the suffering continues.
Anonymous said…
the lid dems should be doing or at least saying something i have just come from yangon on monday the support needed is to keep in on front page DAw aung san suu kyi has now been taken to the most vile insein prison call to boycott olympics unless china agrees to no vetoes in un
Cicero said…
I agree with the thrust of all of these comments: the key is to ensure that the Junta is isolated. Unfotunately China, and of course the regime in Moscow have veoed any large scale plan for UN sanctions. I don't think that threatening the nuclear option of an Olympic boycott at this stage is the right time, but clearly some engagement with China on this issue is going to be necessary. However, I don't but "Burma as Chinese puppet"- in fact India too has influence, which they can certainly bring to bear, if they beleive it is in their interests to do so.
Anonymous said…
Indians HAVE ONE YEARS TIME TO DO THE NEEDFUL !!

8-8-2008 will be the 20th Anniversary of the Burmese protests. It will also be the starting date of the Beijing Games.
(I hope these are boycotted by the whole world !)

India need to start a build up of forces in the Eastern states as soon as possible.

Upto half a million to a million infantry, artillery and paramiltary forces, 3 armoured divisions and half the Indian airforce. India also need a lot of pack-animals (Mules, Bullocks and Buffaloes) and the half the Indian Navy sailing
towards Rangoon.

On 08-08-2008 when the chinese are busy with the piddly Olympics, The Indian armed forces need to invade Burma via land, air and sea.

The campaign should be over in 10-12 days followed by permanently stationing troops on Burmese soil for some time till democracy takes roots as an insurance against the generals seizing power again with a democratic government in place.

The ROAD TO MANDALAY will also
allow India to fill the big shoes which have been put in front of them by EU and the US.

If they can bring about regime change in Burma, Not only the Burmese, but the entire world will be grateful to them.

Let them do it in a dispassionate manner without expecting any returns to start with.

This is called NISHKAMA KARMA.
( With infinite and pure love and an unsullied heart !)
Anonymous said…
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