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Your Quick Primer On The Maroon Monks Of Myanmar
Yesterday 1,000 maroon-robed Buddhist monks led 100,000 civilians in a peaceful
march against the ruling military junta in Myanmar, the largest demonstrations
since 1988. The military cracked down hard nearly twenty years ago, and thousands
died. Aung San Suu Kyi,
the leader of the opposition National League Democracy has been under house
arrest for most of the time since the uprising. Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter
of Aung San, the liberator
of Burma who was assassinated in 1947 just before Burma achieved independence.
500 monks visited her home last Saturday, where she made her first public appearance
in four years.
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Aung San Suu Kyi
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Aung San
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The Buddhist monks in Myanmar protesting against the governing junta are probably
the only social group in the nation that can cause the government to flinch.
The huge protests in Yangon, the capital (formerly Rangoon) were sparked by
the government raising fuel prices, in a poverty-stricken nation already wracked
by shortages.
There are perhaps as many as half a million monks in Burma, which is not unusual
in places like Burma and Thailand which practice theravada Buddhism. A great
many of the soldiers the military junta relies on to maintain power were probably
monks at one time. The monks are highly esteemed in Burmese society, and given
great deference - which causes headaches for the military regime. According
to journalist Zinn Linn, a former prisoner in Myanmar, "for many
- even the most senior generals to act against the monks is the highest
crime in Buddhist teachings, so they are reluctant."
Myanmar is one of the least-free
nations on earth:
The Freedom in the World 2004 report by Freedom House notes that "The
junta rules by decree, controls the judiciary, suppresses nearly all basic rights,
and commits human rights abuses with impunity. Military officers hold most cabinet
positions, and active or retired officers hold most top posts in all ministries.
Official corruption is reportedly rampant both at the higher and local levels."
Brad Adams, director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, in a 2004 address
described the human rights situation in the country as appalling: "Burma
is the textbook example of a police state. Government informants and spies
are omnipresent. Average Burmese people are afraid to speak to foreigners
except in most superficial of manners for fear of being hauled in later for
questioning or worse. There is no freedom of speech, assembly or association.
Posted by Ken McCracken · 25 September 2007 03:37 AM
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Posted by: Peter at September 25, 2007 08:30 AM
Do you think it will remain non violent?
Posted by: zsa zsa at September 25, 2007 05:56 PM
No I don't think it will - at some point things will get out of control and the junta will react in the only way it knows how, just as it did in '88.
Posted by: Ken McCacken at September 25, 2007 09:03 PM
Ken,
Looks like you are on the foreskin of news reporting here.
I am today, seeing news reports of what is happening in this country.
Sometimes, I think we should have a World War II type military and WW II domestic will.
What happens on the other side of the earth, if we can't tolerate it at home, should make us perk up.
Despite what the liberals say, we are the moral and military force that should send barbarians back to their caves.
We are a good people, should protect the innocent and stop the liberal insanity of "it's none of our business."
Posted by: Eneils Bailey at September 26, 2007 05:48 PM
Well we need a more asymmetric military to deal with our new asymmetric threats, as opposed to a WWII military, as you put it.
I could not agree more, however, on the need for a WWII domestic will.
We have to fight with our left hand tied behind our backs these days.
Posted by: Ken McCacken at September 26, 2007 06:42 PM
Wow, that didn't take long for! How sad that they felt the need to kill those people.
Posted by: zsa zsa at September 27, 2007 09:57 AM
"Well we need a more asymmetric military to deal with our new asymmetric threats, as opposed to a WWII military, as you put it."
You are right on that point, a military structured differently, coupled with a different strategic policy, aided by the tactical ability to kill terrorist before they cause us harm will serve us well.
I am sure the leftist in the audience will find that reprehensible without evidence to go arrest them, read them their Miranda rights, and try to prove before an average group of twelve fools that they are guilty.
You alleviate most of these problems by simply dispensing of witnesses for the terrorist's by eliminating them with good cause.
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