Myanmar Police Kill Innocents & Raid Monasteries – Monks & People Protest Military Junta, But China
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008Burma has a long and dark history of oppression, which started on August 8, 1988. The “8888 Uprising” as it is called was a national peaceful revolution demanding democracy that University students launched to let their voices be heard against the corrupt government in the capital of Rangoon.
The protests ended on September 18, 1988, after a bloody military coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Thousands of monks and students were killed by soldiers who used bayonets in an effort to keep the matter quiet and out of the media.
Thousands were killed on the infamous named “Red Bridge” when the military fired upon a student protest while it was crossing until the bridge itself was red with the students’ blood. During the crisis, activist Aung San Suu Kyi emerged as a national hero and has since been recognized as a the leader of the democratic movement in Burma (now known as Myanmar).
The September 2007 Saffron Revolution was again led by monks and students who oppose the oppressive regime leading Myanmar. A wave of anti-government protests started in Myanmar (also known as Burma) on August 15, 2007 and are ongoing thanks to the abusive military junta who continue to incite the people. Sources say the immediate cause of the protests was mainly the decision of the ruling junta, the State Peace and Development Council, to remove fuel subsidies, as IMF and World Bank recommended, increasing the price of fuel by as much as 100%.
The three times I went to Burma I encountered a very corrupt economy in which foreigners upon entry into the country are made to exchange $300 USD upon entering. In return a visitor receives FEC (a foreign currency of sorts which is utterly worthless anywhere else in the world). Once you have your FEC you than need to exchange them for chat within Burma as the Burmese people use chat rather than the government’s FEC which the government basically instituted to cleverly shave off a fraction of foreign spending before it begins.
September 2007 crimes against humanity were led by the junta security forces who began raiding monasteries across the country to quell the protests, arresting at least 200 monks in Yangon and 500 more in the northeast. Security forces raided at least five Buddhist monasteries. Several monks were injured, bleeding, and forced into a vehicle during a clash with the security forces.
The army raided four monasteries in Yangon and arrested several monks in an attempt to bring leading activists “under control” after which they turned their attention to civilian protesters. Security forces are reported to be preparing to use insect spray to crack down on protesters. Eyewitnesses said fire engines and insect spray carrier trucks were seen near Theingyi market in downtown Yangon. The BBC reported that fire crews were ordered to fill their machines with insecticide.
According to several news media the armed forces gave the protesters 10 minutes to disperse or face extreme action. The radio station Democratic Voice of Burma reported that nine civilians, including Japanese photo-journalist Kenji Nagai was shot and killed by the armed forces.
Soldiers fired both into the air and directly at students marching toward a high school in Tam We township in Yangon. Primary school children were inside the school at the time and were reportedly hit by bullets, as were parents arriving to pick up their children. Eyewitness report 100 people were shot. Up to 300 of the students outside were arrested after a military truck rammed into the crowd.
Although the former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton told BBC that China is the key to political change in Myanmar, no boycott of the Olympic games soon to take place in China is happening. No economic pressure is being applied to China to provide an incentive to deal with Myanmar.
With China quietly supporting the ruling junta in Myanmar and the United States passively approving, the United Nations needs to take the lead along with other nations.
Paul Davis is a highly sought after worldwide professional speaker, purpose coach, and change master transforming organizations and empowering individuals to live their dreams.
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