Voices from cyberspace: how Burma's bloggers are bearing witness to the unfolding revolution

[babylonsister]

Voices from cyberspace: how Burma's bloggers are bearing witness to the unfolding revolution
Published: 27 September 2007

Dawn 109,Rangoon

A lot of rumours are flying around Yangon . I am getting awfully paranoid. The military has been ordered to shoot. I heard... that "they have been ordered to shoot." Even now, a co-worker is saying: "They are going to shoot." I just saw with my own eyes that more than 500 monks... have marched on Bo Gyoke Aung Sand Road. There were other people too, walking along the side, holding hands, holding Buddhist flags, singing and clapping hands. They were chanting: "To the uncountable living beings living in uncountable universes to the east, May they be free of danger, May they be free of anger, May they be free of sufferings, andMay their hearts be calm and peaceful. May there be peace on earth."

Kto Hike

All over Rangoon, thousands of people are marching on foot, some on bikes, from 26th Street to 33rd Street. Soldiers in police uniforms are using tear gas bombs, officers are shouting orders to fire just above peoples' heads. Guns are firing continuously. Students from Main University Road are now marching towards 80th Street. On 26 September, a Buddhist monk was beaten to death by plain-clothed thugs while he was praying at the Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the centre of Rangoon. The dead body was carried back to the Sadu Monastery in Kyee Myindine. My part-time duty is working on Emergency YGH... at about 2 pm, 5 patients were coming to our Emergency... for gun shot wounds... 1 patient died on spot on arriving at hospital... 4 r still bad in Diagnosis... The patient's attendant said he was not in d line of protest... they were chatting and watching d protest line and sitting on Cafe Bar near Shawe Dagon Pagoda... Government military car was crossing to d protest line and randomly shot all of them...

Sein Khaloke

Buddhist monks are chanting: "All humans be free from killing and torturing, Our compassion and love spread all over country" and "Peace on earth".

Mya, Rangoon

A monk who took part in the protests came to us and told us about his experiences. He said: "We are not afraid, we haven't committed a crime, we just say prayers and take part in the protests. We haven't accepted money from onlookers although they offered us a lot. We just accept water. People clapped, smiled and cheered us." The monk seemed very happy, excited and proud. But I'm worried for them. They care for us and we pray for them not to get harmed.

Mg Khar, Rangoon

The current situation can lead to civil war because the junta still holds the power and the opposition might use this opportunity to launch an armed struggle. We want things to change peacefully, not through a civil war. But if there's no way to avoid the armed struggle, the people will choose it and the conditions in our poor country may become worse. International pressure, including from China and Russia, is very important for the future of Burma at this moment.

more...

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3001622.ece

[seemslikeadream]

1. a journalist has been killed and all foreign journalists have been banned

[Warpy]

2. There is much more at the BBC

Photos are at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7015799.stm

I live near the Ngwe Kyar Yan monastery in south Okkalapa. They came to the monastery last night. Only 20 monks escaped out of 200. One monk from this monastery passed away at the demonstration yesterday. The soldiers came at the middle of the night and beat up the monks. The head monk and the other 19 escaped. They beat the monks and loaded them onto a truck like animals. We could hear gunshots, screams and shouting. Soldiers shouted that they are not just going to shoot in the air, but also on people. Anonymous eyewitness, Rangoon

More at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7011884.stm

This is bad. They're still describing it as "not as bad as 1988." It will get that bad, though.

Rounding up monks, beating and killing them, is not going to work. It always backfires on repressive governments when they try--and they always do.

[seemslikeadream]

3. I have some photos here

AIN'T GONNA LET NOBODY TURN ME AROUND
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1896963


Burma is on the Brink of Revolution
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1893560

[babylonsister]

4. Thanks for all your posts on this, slad. The pictures say so much. nt

[uppityperson]

5. k&r, I just posted some also.Info to outside world is being cut off.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1925199&mesg_id=1925199

[cosmicdot]

6. .

the 1st and 2nd photo from the BBC link








http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7015799.stm

[Kurovski]

7. K&R. (nt)