Burmaese Democracy Cackdown by Junta

whats your view on this issue?

Whoa, so no one is interested in whats happening around the world? Is politics on this forum only about american politics?

Like nobody cares for what is happening in the M.E.

At most, they know that it is their system failure and corruptions are not working anymore.

Pure capitalism bullshits again!

Since in Burma the number 9 is a fraught digit astrologers predicted 9/27/2007 would be a day of turbulence and the government was presumably expecting this, since it regularly consults astrologers on policy, just as President Reagan did. Perhaps the US State Department or the White House's stargazers had the same anticipation, since earlier in the week, Bush had fingered Burma/Myanmar as his pick this year for his Arc of Evil club.

The Burmese currency was changed, on the advice of an astrologer, because nine was considered a luckier number than 10. A former head of state U Ne Win, thought certain number combinations would be more fortuitous, so 15, 45 and 90-kyat notes still circulate alongside the more straightforward fives and multiples of 10.

Then in November 2005, the junta began moving its government from Rangoon to a town called Naypidaw, little more than a jungle clearing. The operation began at 6.37am - a time recommended by an astrologer employed by the senior general Than Shwe.

The current military regime, the State Peace and Development Council, has ruled Burma since 1988, when it crushed a widespread democracy movement, killing thousands of people.

Currently Burma is governed, if that is the right phrase, by General Than Shwe, 73. A former postal clerk, he has been chairman of the SPDC and acted as head of state since 1992. He despises democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and arrested his prime minister Khin Nyunt, who recommended a dialogue with Suu Kyi. Her father established the Burmese army before his assassination just prior to independence in 1947.

Suu Kyi, the spirit of the nation, lives under house arrest in a run-down villa on the shore of Lake Inya and is referred to simply as The Lady. In 1990, the military junta called a general election, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won decisively. Being the NLD's candidate, Suu Kyi should have assumed the office of prime minister. Instead, the results were nullified, and the military refused to hand over power.

In northern Burma the roads and highways are clogged with the presence of Chinese construction lorries. Beijing has supplied the Burmese military with a wish-list of equipment. Fighter aircraft, tanks, patrol boats, armored personnel carriers, field artillery pieces ,small arms and ammunition, worth more than $ 2bn have been dispatched. The Burmese generals are consistent; in any choice between arms and butter it is always arms. Chinese banks have financed new roads, railways, ports and dams. In return Beijing gets ample supplies of crude oil, natural gas and access to the Indian Ocean. In diplomatic terms Burma has air cover against any flak from the West whose influence in matters of regime change has itself been severely curtailed. Iraq has diluted the virtuous pronouncements of the three B's, Bush Blair and Brown. Opposition parties that before would have publicized their links to the West are far more circumspect. Besides, Western firms have dealt with the junta with the full, complicit knowledge of Washington and London.

Even the country's name is a source of confusion. In 1989, the military junta officially changed the English version of the country's name from Burma to Myanmar, along with changes to the English versions of many place names in the country, such as its former capital city from Rangoon to Yangon. Suu Kyi continues to use the name Burma since she does not recognize the legitimacy of the ruling military government to rename the country. Some western governments, namely those of the United States, Australia, Ireland, and Britain, continue to use "Burma", while the European Union uses "Burma/Myanmar" as an alternative. But even if Burma was under a democratic government tomorrow with an agreed name its troubles would not be over. It is a deeply divided nation and Burman dominance over Karen, Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Chin, Kachin and other minorities has been the source of considerable ethnic tension. Its strategic location would make it a playground for international intrigue. But that does not give an ounce of legitimacy to the junta who have gutted the country for their own pockets.

See? they don't even know were the Burma is.. what do you expect..?? and I am too tired to teach the American retards

I think it should be the part of China.. or else the American assholes will putt the missile defence there too.. (to protecting their ass)

My take of this everyday shit is, communism and capitalism are the same.. like God and Evil.

And to explain it? GOD and Evil is the same..!

er.. were=where

Qbone knows his political knowledge.......
Dxp needs some serious knowledge about politics outside America.
I see 9/11 and all the people are like discussing crap and make a big fuss about it.
But when people in other parts of the world are dying, no one gives a butter......

Red_Aries thatz hard fact. One has to be tall enough to be seen and loud enough to be heard, right ?

"But when people in other parts of the world are dying, no one gives a butter......"

Welcome to earth.

"But when people in other parts of the world are dying, no one gives a butter......"

Welcome to earth."

In some parts of India, we don't stop to bother much even when people die in the same city ( courtesy years of terrorism, natural disasters, human negligence,accidents etc. ). Itz almost like we are happy to be ok when be come back safely from work. Neither like people aren't sufficiently scared, nor that the situation is completely hopeless though.

--->"But when people in other parts of the world are dying, no one gives a butter......"
--->Welcome to earth.

Unacceptable.

It is Guarav, it is. An american life does not worth 10x more than a burmese life. If americans care so much about world democracy, they should laungh a premeptive strike at Burma rather wasting senseless resources in Iraq.

RA ...I have read that the Burmese Junta has tacit Chinese support working in itz favor as a possible shield ( Indian media,to be honest ). Now, I don't know how U would react to this as a Chinese, but even China ,in the past, has been accused of such crackdowns and a general clampdown on individual freedom and rights. Not to say that Indian democracy has no flaws at all. In fact , going by the account of friends living in China, regardless of the government style , China has made such rapid strides that now it would be funny to compare the two.

As for the US deciding against intervening directly, good intentions or not, perhaps no invasion is welcome. Why would anybody else's problem become their headache unless their business/military/geo-politicl/strategic interests at stake ? Lessons learnt, they have been pressurizing the Junta by diplomatic means.

good point Gaurav, good point.
Being politically informed, I am no Chinese Chavinist.
The tiannamen Square massacure is forever known as a disgrace in Chinese History, and this Junta crackdown remind us that terror and triumph of dictatorship is still possible in today's age.

There is some sense in what you say Atlantic Myst. Thats y I can see the anarchist movement gaining some momentum in the next few centuries.

If he refused to talk in China, the reason is quite obvious. But if he refused to talk about it in a foreign country, perhaps he is blinded by chavinism.