BURMA MATTERS

The Burmese people have always protested against its military govt. but the world has always stayed out.

The latest protest has been happening for over a month and the world looks on as the protests get larger. What is worrying is the murder of the monks and civilians by the Burmese military junta yesterday and today. If the people of the world keep quiet and watch on, this will only get worse and might result in a slaughter.

Click herefor continuous news coverage on happenings in Burma

WILL HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF?
Have we learnt nothing from history? The world looked the other way when Hitler began his hate campaign and this resulted in the second World War.
The Burmese have been protesting non-violently against the military junta but the rest of the world failed them when they were massacred 19 years ago.
Can we afford to do the same now? The governments of our various countries may not care or term it an internal matter but can the people of the world do the same?
Are we willing to watch an Asian Rwanda unfold in Burma?

WHY DOES THE UN IGNORE BURMA?
The Burmese people who sought freedom of speech have been banned, arrested or killed for decades. Others escape to neighbouring countrieslike Thailand and India. Aung San Suu Kyi continues to remain in house arrest.
What does the world do? Give her a Nobel Peace Prize in an attempt to wash its guilty hands off Burma. But the governments of the world are currently like Lady Macbeth. Every Burmese killed --- the blood will be on your hands because you failed to act before and now.

Why are governments that claim to represent democracy and encourage pro-democracy invade or threaten to invade countries when people there don't complain about their governments but choose to ignore Burma or Myanmar? True, Burma has no uranium, nuclear power plants, diamonds or WMDs which might be an incentive to intervene in the name of democracy or freedom by the United Nations Security Council. So Burma doesn't pose any imminent threat to global security as it doesn't have all of the above and also there is no Bin laden or dangerous "terrorists" in Burma. The UN, NATO, ASEAN, SAARC, Arab League, APEC, and various organisations have continuously failed to protect the Burmese people.
However if you care, please sign the petition to get our governments and the UN to act/support the Burmese people instead of imposing more stringent sanctions -- which is stupid as it will not affect the govt. but only the people.

The Burmese people are a bigger asset than WMDs, diamonds or uranium.

Click here to Sign the Petition to support the Burmese people..

WHERE IS ASEAN?
Last year, when Thailand, a neighbour of Burma was in political trouble, ASEAN rushed in to its aid. However, not even step motherly but alien treatment meted out to the Burmese people by ASEAN is puzzling. Burma is in South East Asia.

ARE THE NEIGHBOURS SLEEPING?
The US, UN and Europe have condemned the attacks on the people and have called for "more" stringent sanctions but this will have no effect on the military junta in Burma. It will only affect the already impoverished people.

Thailand which is a neighbour of Burma is too small and has internal problems of its own. It can only afford to accept refugees.

So the two countries that can use its leverage with the Burmese military junta to stop the slaughter are China and India, both of whom are neighbours.

It is understandable that China doesn't want any change in Burma and is happy to support the military govt. in Burma. After all it has its business interests to protect like the over 500 Chinese companies that operates out of Burma. It also provides weapons to the military junta in Burma.Therefore the Chinese govt. calls the Burmese people's non-violent movement for democracy as "internal affair" of Burma. Moreover, supporting the Burmese people by Chinese govt. would re-direct the spotlight on the Tianamen Square massacre and also the fact China is not a democracy. It might also bring the swing the focus on Tibet where people have been fighting non-violently for 50 years and Tibetan refugees in India, including the Dalai Lama. So for political reasons too, China cannot been seen as supporting Burma though it might be extremely afraid of a flood of refugees through its borders especially next year during the Beijing Olympics.

Chinese are very proud of their long memories and gratitude. I don't know how they can forget that it was from Burma, the Japanese invasion of China during WW2 was thwarted. Despite everything, it was a combination of the Burmese, British and Indians who helped stop the Japanese massacre and occupation of China.

CAN INDIA AFFORD TO IGNORE?
True, people of Indian origin were evicted from Burma in 1952 but can it hold the grudge for 55 years? India has Burmese refugees and journalists but like the Tibet question,it has never protested against Burmese plight either. While it broke off relations with the military junta in Burma, a few years back it has renewed relations as it is finding the Chinese are either annexing or befriending all its neighbours encircling India from Pakistan in the West to Burma in the East and Sri Lanka in the South.

Some say it is because the Indian govt. is currently negotiating a gas line deal with the Burmese military junta as the Iran pipeline via Pakistan may not materialise. However, it seems more like it doesn't want to harm its chances at stalemating China in South East Asia. Maybe the upcoming visits of the Vietnamese and Filipino leaders will make a change in the Indian stance.

However, if the Indian govt. doesn't use its leverage with the military junta now, it can say goodbye to its dreams of becoming a superpower ever.

WHAT CAN WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD DO?
Irrespective of what the governments say in all our countries -- we, the people of the world can change their minds and stop a repeat of the 1988 massacre.

So, here is a doable list.

1)Sign the petition above.
2)Click on the link "Email the politician in your country" found on the left side of this page for US and UK readers.
3)Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper or TV channel and ask your friends and family to do the same.
4)Post comments on all media websites and forums on the Internet.
5)Spread the word in all the e-groups you belong to.
6)Wherever you are in the world, write a letter, email to any media organisation or call your local radio station and ask them what they plan to.
7)Mail the Burmese media to show you support the Burmese people.
Click here for the Burmese Media directory

When the world media makes it a big issue, our governments will be forced to act.
Right now, global leaders are gathering in New York for the annual United Nations summit.

Keep doing it until the Burmese military junta stops its slaughter and the Burmese people become free.

We can do it together for we live a short life and it will take only 5- 10 minutes of your time to do this daily.

Nothing is impossible if we believe it is possible.

© 2007 by Deepa Kandaswamy