Anyone else following events in Burma?

[DZJ 0]

Been following events in Burma with interest the last few days. If you've not heard:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7015212.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7010202.stm

A large part of me cheers and urges the people of Burma to be brave, to challenge their despotic and thuggish junta, and win for themselves the rights and freedoms of other nations. But another part of me sees neighbouring China, with its authoritarianism and vested interest in stability, and thinks that things may not change after all...

[nerdgirl 0]

Yes, ... since before 8/8/88 (Burma's "Tiananmen Square").

NPR had nteresting discussions this evening as well.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14738158
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14738161
including discussion of the role of oil.

VR/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[Amazon 7]

I remember seeing a very moving production about 12 years ago dealing with the subject. Beyond Rangoon was a very good movie that laid out some of the problems that are faced by the people there as well as the role of the military that rules the country .

[Gawain 0]

I've only followed to the extent of what I've heard on the news. Apparently the government has opened fire on some of the protesters.

I don't know much about Burma, other than China has pretty big influence there.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[nerdgirl 0]

China is concerned & interested. Formal influence is highly debated. China mostly sees it as a stability issue. They don't want a southeast Asian state to fail.

nerdgirl's Cliff notes version: In the 1980's, Myanmar (nee Burma) held a democratic election in which an overwhelming majority of the people voted for Aung San Suu Kyi. The controlling military junta -- literally 3 military generals -- didn't like the people's choice and formed the SLORC (State Law & Order Restoration Council - interesting how the acronym is in English & damned Orwellian) creating an autocratic dictatorship, which was highlighted in the movie Amazon mentioned, Rangoon. Nota bene: late 1990s they changed the name to the "State Peace and Development Council."

Recent history: On Aug 8th, 1988 students in Rangoon protested against the SLORC's overthrow of the democratically-elected govt. There are no good figures on how many died because unlike Tienenman there were no western cameras (or cell phones, if it were to happen today).

Burma has gotten more attention in the ensuing years because of (1) a proposed oil pipeline that would travel through the mountainous/highlands region of the north, which is populated by a minority ethnic group (the Karen). The SLORC/SPDC has been accused of forcing the Karen, i.e., slave labor, to build this pipeline and infrastructure through their lands.

And (2) over the last 5 years or so, the USG & others have paid more attention to Burma as the ruling junta has expressed some interest -- nothing explicit -- in acquiring nuclear material for nuclear power. Myanmar is seen as a small but limited risk for trying to pursue nuclear weapons. They don't have the latent technical capabilities so they would need an AQ Khan-like partner. China is unlikely to be that partner. Other represive govts are more likely candidates (e.g., DPRK).

At least one of the original 3 generals running the SLORC/SPDC has died or near death (incapicated), the other two had a falling out, so there's basically one slightly less than stable military generally heading the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). He had the capital moved from Yangon (nee Rangoon) 3 hours north (into the jungle/mts) a couple years ago.

VR/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[warpedskydiver 0]

Well it's easier to run the other more lucrative business from there.

Where is Vinegar Joe when we need him?

I bet Max knows who I am talking about.

Just going to the hall and paying your respects got you choked up.

Burma has hit the skids.

[nerdgirl 0]

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Well it's easier to run the other more lucrative business from there.

What other business?

VR/marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[warpedskydiver 0]

Opium and Heroin, along with Slavery.

[kallend 2,148]

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Opium and Heroin, along with Slavery.

If they had much oil, I guess we'd be forced to invade to liberate the people from an oppressive regime and ruthless dictatorship.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[DZJ 0]

Well, apparently Burma is quite rich in natural gas (hmm, just like Iran...) but it would seem that doesn't count...

[vortexring 0]

Another ex-British territory falling apart from the inside out.

Not that Britian is the direct cause of the problems today. Today it's just the usual struggle for empowerment. And the earth spins on it's axis.

So it goes.

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[Frenchy68 0]

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And the earth spins on it's axis

Thank God!
As long as the North and South spin in the same direction, otherwise it may come unscrewed at the Equator. And god knows we want to keep it screwed...

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[vortexring 0]

Perhaps a similiar type event happens to yourself when you drink absinthe.

Lord knows, it certainly happened to me. Felt like my brain had seperated and began to revolve in opposing directions.

But I didn't cut my ear off...

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[NickDG 23]

If anything, we should be air dropping a few thousand M-16s to those Monks . . .

NickD BASE 194

[vortexring 0]

Ha ha! Is somebody being...sarcastic?

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[NickDG 23]

Well, only to the extent the Monks wouldn't want to use them.

Here's a better idea, airdrop in some Recon Marines dressed as Monks to pick off that asshole dictator.

NickD BASE 194

[christelsabine 1]

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If anything, we should be air dropping a few thousand M-16s to those Monks . . .

Holy Crap, that's the well known language the rest of the world knows from the US. Fine speech.

BTW: ....."those Monks".... is ...: WHO exactly??? Citizens of Myanmar or what?

???

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[vortexring 0]

I'm sure he's being sarcastic Christel!

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[christelsabine 1]

Sure?

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[pirana 0]

Just what I've seen on the news.

Aside: I was reading something a while back on Vietnam and came across the full story of that monk that cooked himself in a busy intersection in Siagon (the event that was made famous by making some magazine cover). I think it is called emolation.

Anyway, that guy lit himself up, then burned to a crisp without ever flinching. It took about 10 minutes of burning before his charred body fell over from his sitting position. And Liddy thought he was tough for cigarette burning his hand without crying.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[nerdgirl 0]

Subject line is the term. It's a tolerated practice among certain Buddhist and Hindu groups. More so in South and South East Asia than Central (Nepal, Tibet) or Northeast Asia.

Thich Duc was probably the Vietnamese Buddhist monk you recall.

Immolation or proverbial 'kitchen fire' is also a dirty less-than-secret method used to kill wives or used by wives to escape (through attempted suicide) abusive husbands in South and Southwest Asian states. The latter form of the practice has expanded to Muslim subgroups in SW Asia, such as in situations in which 10 yo girls are "married," i.e., sold to 40 yo men.

A rare western self-immolation protester was Jan Palach. He was protesting the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. A few years ago I visited his memorial near Wencelas Square (a la the "Good King" of the Christmas carol) in Prague.

VR/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[ErricoMalatesta 0]

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Another ex-British territory falling apart from the inside out.

Not that Britian is the direct cause of the problems today. Today it's just the usual struggle for empowerment. And the earth spins on it's axis.

So it goes.

The biggest trading partner with the totalitarian state is Britain and in effect are a direct contributer to the oppression of the Myanmar people.

[DZJ 0]

Erm, BULLSHIT. Burma's biggest trading partners are its neighbours, principally China.

Do try and get your facts straight.

[rehmwa 2]

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Erm, BULLSHIT. Burma's biggest trading partners are its neighbours, principally China.

Do try and get your facts straight.

cut him some slack - at least he likes cowboys

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[idrankwhat 0]

So which is it?
Burma, Myanmar or "formerly known as Burma"?
They all seem to get equal time.