Buddhist Monks Gunned Down in Burma
Scott Kirwin
Things are getting bad in Burma. The military is shooting into crowds of Buddhist monks who have been protesting the junta that has ruled the nation with an iron fist since overturning elections in 1988. Protests are erupting all over Asia in support of the monks and their pro-democracy allies like Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
By the way, Myanmar is the name the ruling regime gave to Burma, and the name is not recognized by the US, UK or the pro-democracy elements within the country.
China is the junta's main backer. China also happens to be the main backer of the Sudanese regime. There is some hope that the Chinese will step in and force the regime to defuse the crisis in order to avoid making China look bad during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
I saw the same hope raised in relation to the genocide in Darfur. But the genocide there continues.
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You always hope that in situations like this it will end like Spain with soldiers standing down and joining the protesters, but if the soldiers in Rangoon are firing on monks, raiding monasteries. and blocking monks' entrances to worship, you have to imagine that they'll do pretty much anything.
The Chinese government is completely immobile when it comes to outside pressure. It is very adept at turning any criticism of it into a criticism of the Chinese people, who then turn on the foreigners instead of their own regime.
it is important to remember though, that no matter how complicit China is in the situation in Burma, it is the Burmese junta, and soldiers who should know better, who are the ones truly at fault.
Friendly ports for their navy, perhaps an airbase, and just being an irritation to India next door. Burma has a lot of resources. But and minerals and wood probably aren't that important.
Thousands of protesters are dead and the bodies of hundreds of executed monks have been dumped in the jungle, a former intelligence officer for Burma's ruling junta has revealed.
The most senior official to defect so far, Hla Win, said: "Many more people have been killed in recent days than you've heard about. The bodies can be counted in several thousand."
Mr Win, who spoke out as a Swedish diplomat predicted that the revolt has failed, said he fled when he was ordered to take part in a massacre of holy men. He has now reached the border with Thailand.
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.