100,000 monks/citizens protest military junta in Myanmar

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071005/ap_on_re_as/myanmar

[GTL]

I listened to a piece on NPR where they were interviewing someone who worked for a human rights watch organization. He implied that the gasoline prices skyrocketing was the catalyst for the protests but there are many other problems. would anyone care to elaborate? What kind of human rights violations are going on in this country, and to what degree? Are they forcing people to work as slaves? Jailing or torturing protesters?

[NewTeaBag]

[ QUOTE ]
I listened to a piece on NPR where they were interviewing someone who worked for a human rights watch organization. He implied that the gasoline prices skyrocketing was the catalyst for the protests but there are many other problems. would anyone care to elaborate? What kind of human rights violations are going on in this country, and to what degree? Are they forcing people to work as slaves? Jailing or torturing protesters?

[/ QUOTE ]
[*]Longterm inprisonment of many political opponents without charge or trial.[*]Reports of torture.[*]Severe repression of very basic civil rights.[*]Martial law when if and as seen fit by the junta.
among others

The ruling junta has also taken one of the most economicly promising countries in SE Asia (with loads of natural resources inc. oil, timber, metals etc.) and turned it into a V poor nation of hungry people.

The monks involvelment in this latest show of disobediance is hugely important but requires some basic understanding of Buddhism. As lebowski has alluded to, the Monks are highly revered and pacifists. They got involved directly this time not just for the gasoline price hikes (which is a direct and harsh tax on the poor) but with that basicly being the "straw that broke the camel's back."

Like it or not, the monks knew that the world watching the military come down hard and violent on them vice just ordinary citizens with ZERO return violence would more than likely be a strong stimulus for greater international outrage and involvement. It also mobilizes and unifies the citizenry far better when they see their spiritual leaders being bashed/shot in the street. Even the most "meh, whatever" citizen is going to have a hard time NOT feeling passionately anti-junta after seeing those scenes a few times.

On a different note:
WhoIam's characterization of Thailands current government as a military junta is a poor description given the comparison to other guvments of similar nomenclature. Thailands military leaders initiated a bloodless coup to oust a thoroughly corrupt prime minister, his political party, and his cabinet of thieving cronies. They also maintained respect for the highly revered King and his family as well as not even coming close to any sort of abuse of Buddhist monks.

The military leaders have done some annoying stuff WRT changing some laws but on the whole, given their committment to a rapid return to a constitutionlly based, elected government within the next 6mos, and their lack of use of force they are hardly even in the same sport, let alone same league, as the Myanmar junta.

[NewTeaBag]

Bonus note: I'm doing a day visa run to Myanmar today near Ranong. I doubt I'll see anything of interest but perhaps get a taste of the tension.

[IggyWH]

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Bonus note: I'm doing a day visa run to Myanmar today near Ranong. I doubt I'll see anything of interest but perhaps get a taste of the tension.

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds like quite a brave trip.

[NewTeaBag]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Bonus note: I'm doing a day visa run to Myanmar today near Ranong. I doubt I'll see anything of interest but perhaps get a taste of the tension.

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds like quite a brave trip.

[/ QUOTE ]

Meh! No different from any other time. There and back safe and easy (aside from torrential rain which created flowing rivers on one of the roads leading there.

It seems the current unrest has not affected the black market ACers on Ranong either in that the usual number of Viagra, and other assorted touts were out and about hawking their wares.