The aggression continues and sillyness from the UK...

*** http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Burmacrackdown/ ***

Sadly there is still no end to the chaos that has hit the streets of Burma this week, not that anyone expected it to end so soon. It appears the UN tried to make some moves but dear old China and her mate Russia blocked any moves towards taking action. China feels it's all a matter for the Burmese and we should all just close our eyes and carry on with business as usual. But I suppose for a nation like China to criticise hard-handed military aggression against innocent civilians it would come across as somewhat hypocritical, given their track record. Which is probably one of the many reasons why military controlled Thailand has failed to do any voluble condemning either.

[pics from http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/]

Word on the net is that there has been at least one more fatality. Bloggers from within Burma continue to get the news out one way or other and still the junta of Than Shwe threatens the people with harsh action if they don't just go home and behave. And stories of monks trashing a mosque are just that apparently. Seems the junta has been getting soldiers in robes to do some mischief-making to blacken the name of the monks protesting.

For the first time in a long while I currently feel respect and admiration for a religious group; the Buddhist monks of Burma. I'm no fan of any religion and have no time for such man made hypocritical mumbo-jumbo (no offence to any die-hard religious fanatics) but I think what the monks in Rangoon are doing takes real belief, conviction and plain guts.

Added: And now nine more have been killed including a Japanese video journalist and some reports have suggested a German national was shot by the soldiers.



On a somewhat more trivial and light-hearted note here's some news from the UK. McDonalds have been charging a fine in some branches for people who take more than forty-five minutes to eat their food. They've brought in a car park firm to check and process fines for cars that remain in their car park in excess of this limit. One family received their bill two weeks after visiting McDonalds. They have four kids and dropped in for some dinner. First there was a queue so they took some time to get served and then there was a wait for the burgers. We're talking young kids here so there was some dillying and dallying before the burgers had been eaten, by which time everyone wanted some ice creams and apple-pie. Result: it was more than forty-five minutes. Anyway, two weeks later they get a bill for £125GBP (approx US$250). It seems they are not alone, loads of people have been caught in this McTrap. The family have of course raised two fingers in McDonald's direction and told them to whistle for their cash. The case continues.

And the Conservatives have named their candidate for the race to elect a new mayor of London. And yes, they opted for the candidate with most comedic qualities, yes you guessed it, Boris Johnson. So that's it, surely another victory to the madman Ken Livingstone. Eton and Cambridge educated "Boris the Blond" has been editor of The Spectator, MP for Henley-on-Thames and a shadow Conservative minister but is probably most famous for his unique brand of upper-crust buffoonary on the popular quiz panel show, Have I Got New For You. So, keep watching for more hilarious antics as Bozzer makes his quest to become the new mayor of London. I just love this guy!!! [But I wouldn't trust him with anything serious]

Bozzer in action [he's the floppy haired one with the plum in his throat

http://www.freeburmarangers.org/

http://ko-htike.blogspot.com/

http://weblog.xanga.com/dawn_1o9/618271640/the-dark-hours.html


The aggression continues and sillyness from the UK...

A dark day for Burma....

From the BBC:

Witnesses described monks with blood on their shaved heads as police charged at the Shwedagon pagoda in Rangoon.

[photo courtesy of Reuters]

Reports have indicated that five monks and a woman have allegedly been killed during the bloody crackdown by the military junta in Burma. Brave action from armed soldiers against peaceful protesters in robes.

I must admit this whole thing has really got under my skin. I really fell for Burma the few times I visited and my limited experience of the Burmese was 100% positive: genuinely warm and welcoming people despite the terrible conditions most there live under. Whilst the Burmese are kept impoverished and as virtual slaves within their own country China and Thailand exploit the situation by making off with it's resources on the cheap, trade that helps prop up the evil regime and prolong the hell. In the case of Thailand this unfortunate situation also means they have a regular supply of extremely cheap labour that can be abused without complaint.

With the Olympics approaching in Beijing the general feeling has been that the Chinese might be able to put pressure on their allies, the Burmese military. However, the Chinese are now saying that it's purely an internal matter and for the BUrmese to sort out. Basically the Chinese think that stability, no matter what the cost, is preferable to any kind of instability.

Whilst Britain remains the biggest aid donor to Burma it came out today that not a penny of government money has gone to any pro-democracy cause. However, £120,ooo GBP of British taxpayers' money has gone to help save the Burmese bat. I'm all for looking after nature but surely there are more pressing issues in Burma at the moment.

http://irrawaddy.org
http://burmacampaign.org.uk/

A dark day for Burma....

Plot thickens in Burma and something I never thought I'd ever say....

As more and more people and monks join the protests in Rangoon so does the intensity of media coverage outside Asia. With a curfew now imposed and threats of harsh action by the ruling military junta the big worry is where this will all end.

The footage of monks clad in nothing but robes marching in defiance against the heavily armed troops of Than Shwe is quite something. This is what I've always thought Buddhism was all about. Quite refreshing after my many years witnessing the uglier side of Buddhism next door to Burma.

Apparently the military have ordered several thousand robes and ordered the same number of soldiers to shave their heads. The thinking is that they might be preparing to send these guys in undercover to stir up trouble and start violence, thereby giving the military an excuse to let loose with the big guns.

The group I mentioned on facebook.com in yesterday's post [Myanmar (Burma) Uprising: Worldwide Support] is gaining support and some of the people involved have already organised quiet protests in Canada.

A view by Shwe Dagon that I took in 2005

On another topic here's something I never thought I'd ever say: That Gordan Brown bloke, he's not too bad. Anyone who either knows me or has ever read this blog will know that there's more chance of Margaret Thatcher voting Labour than me but after Brown's inaugural speech yesterday I can't help thinking he's not such a bad bloke. Unlike Blair and his cronies, Brown doesn't seem to be afraid of liking Britain. Where Blair made people feel ashamed of being British Brown is gunning for more patriotism and a sense of national worth. And rather than coming out with clever soundbites penned by Alastair Campbell he does seem quite passionate about his policies, including education, crime and immigration. Hopefully he's true to his word and manages to follow through on his promises. And, of course, being a Scot and PM of England it will be interesting to see who he supports when England next play football or rugby against Scotland.


Plot thickens in Burma and something I never thought I'd ever say....

Monks' revolution in Burma, and some photos....

Things are really starting to move in Rangoon and throughout the rest of Burma. They're calling it the monks' revolution and it certainly seems to be gaining momentum. I've visited Burma about three times and have a real fondness for Rangoon, and found the Burmese to be a genuinely friendly and welcoming people.

Opinion in the media seems mixed about where this could all be leading with some predicting bloodshed and others wondering at what point will it be too late for the ruling junta to intervene. There is also a theory that the Chinese, one of the junta's biggest partners along with Thailand, are pressurising Shwe and the boys into exercising restraint. Either way, this is the closest they've been to true uprising for many years.

This is one of an increasing number of clips appearing on youtube.com from people inside Burma.

Here are some other images appearing on the net. These two courtesy of AP.


Here are two shots I took in Rangoon, personal favourites.


And on a lighter note here's a bill board I saw in Rangoon. Yes, that's right, beer that is both anti-aging and keeps you forever young. Marvelous!


Links:

http://www.irrawaddy.org/
www.bbc.co.uk/news

Or you could express your support by joining this group on facebook.com - Myanmar (Burma) Uprising: Worldwide Support

Monks' revolution in Burma, and some photos....