h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

petition signed
I pray some good will come of this although the authorities
have started retaliating with baton charges and tear gas.

I have emailed the link to about 700 people through various groups. If everyone passes it on, we can get the numbers up really high... but as you say, will it help those demonstrating?

Let me give you an insight from a similar situation in Lebanon. For years, the students would demonstrate and be beaten, arrested, imprisoned. Some disappeared, some returned after being tortured. For years this went on. When the Cedar revolution happened in 2005, a girl was interviewed on TV and asked if she was not afraid she would be identified by the interior security force. Her reply was very short: she has already taken the risk, as have thousands and millions before her... Then she turned to the screen and said "please don't let our blood be shed in vain."

So, yes, I agree. People will be hurt, people will die, but this country has attempted mass demonstration before and been fobbed off by international politics of economics and expedience. With the power of the 'net, we the people now have the power. We have the power of influence. There is nothing more frightening to the politicians than a massive tide of humanity turning against them. Let us use that power for the Burmese and lobby the United Nations, lobby the power brokers, the US, China, Russia.

It took me 15 minutes to send 700 emails this morning. It took me 30 seconds to sign the petition. It has taken me 5 minutes to type this post. I can afford the people of Burma 20 odd minuted of my life.... after all, I may one day be calling on them to do the same for my country.

Signed. Hope it helps.

Burma monasteries in night raids
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7015544.stm

at China

UN urges restraint on Burma junta
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7015212.stm

A Swedish diplomat reports that the monks have not appeared on the streets today Thursday. The assumption is that they are unable to leave their places of residence - perhaps surrounded there by military. There are crowds on the streets but normal citizens only.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7015751.stm

The BBC news channel is reporting that soldiers have opened fire on the protesters with automatic weapons.

Would somebody please be kind enough to re-post where to sign the petition?

Certainly Scorp

http://www.unscburma.org/Petition.php

There is a protest going on outside the Burmese embassy in London today: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/mmr-260907-news-eng

I heard that the monks have been surrounded by soldiers and barbed wire so cannot get out onto the streets.

Yes

There's a UN special envoy on the way http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7019359.stm
and also the Japanese deputy foreign minister http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7017636.stm

It's incredible that Kenji Nagai's shooting was caught on camera, I hope and pray he did not die in vain.

Matholwch raises a couple of points in his journal under 'More on Burma' and another one - maybe you can get to via my pers-space.

>> I hope and pray he did not die in vain. <<<

I hear you, Annie.

to LL's PS (if that's ok?)

Wilma, did you see a couple of days ago when the marchers walked past the British Embassy they applauded, I think they have had news that we are supporting them, especially as the state-owned news channel condemns the BBC and their "sky-full of lies"

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.asp

The Forum: F135418?thread=4620406

I'm still not sure whether to be depressed by the continuing developments in Burma or encouraged by them. I'm an optimist by nature so I guess I'll continue to hope that this will all lead to an improvement sooner or later for the Burmese people.

By severing their citizenry from the Internet, it seems to me the junta is at least partially aware of how repellent their regime appears to the rest of the world.

I think the generals are hoping the world has a short attention span, and will just forget about Burma.

I hope they are wrong

I hear you.
When I saw the body of the still-robed monk in that river my heart went cold.
The monasteries are empty. Even a previous British Ambassador expressed his worries over the fate of the monks.
<>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7022437.stm
They (the people) need a miracle
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7024825.stm

I see sad parallels between the Burmese situation
and that of Tibet.
I don't hear any retoric about axis of evil regarding
the generals either.
Funny that.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7025357.stm

An army defector talks..