Buddhist monks lead 100,000 for a pro democracy movement marching through a major city of Myanmar in the strongest protests against the repressive regime for two decades.
Just another failure in the making for the UN … did you expect them to promote democracy? Or condemn solidly the actions of the Myanmar government. Perhaps they have a little, but that’s like saying like in UN resolution 1441 “there will be serious consiquences”.
I just love how the definition of stability by liberals and the UN is oppressing people. The UN considers Iraq to be unstable since Saddam is gone, never mind he invaded two countries (Iran and Kuwait) launched missiles into two others (Saudi Arabia and Israel) as an offensive measure and would of invaded a third country twice (Saudi Arabia once in 1991 and again 1994) if it wasn’t for coalition/us/NATO forces. Hey that is stability!!!
So here we go again with a diplomat from Myanmar stating we have everything under control, the oppression is back to normal now that we busted enough of the Buddhist monk’s heads open. This doesn’t say much for passive resistance. No wonder why Bono says he’s having a hard time sleeping, perhaps he is coming to the conclusion that passive resistance rarely works or at least it hasn’t worked here and they tried several times, once in 1962,1974,1988 and of course now 2007.
Meanwhile back at the UN:
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) — Myanmar’s foreign minister U Nyan Win on Monday blamed intense pro-democracy demonstrations in his country on “political opportunists” and declared that “normalcy has now returned to Myanmar.”
Ok does anyone see a problem with the UN here? This representative of an oppressive state can make declaration and speeches all he wants all day long and get heard by a representative of every nation on earth. MEANWHILE where is the representative of the people whom are being oppressed by that regime? Answer somewhere on the streets shot or clubbed (the pro democracy movement does have a representative but he sure isn’t speaking to the world at the UN)…so much for Myanmar’s version of Ghandi. Wouldn’t it seem that wherever there are tanks … passive resistance fails? Now Ghandi’s passive resistance worked quite well, but the English mind you didn’t have any tanks or anything left of an army to control India in 1945 (India was Independent by 1947) during the Quit India movement. There was also the pressure to not look like anything CLOSE to what would be construed as a white supremacist power or an empire in a post world war two world, and the formation of the UN certainly would have a bad start if the British Empire engaged in the type of control they had India under. Needless to say those circumstances are unique.
Of course the UN did send an envoy to talk to both Myanmar’s military leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Talking is good but without action of any kind it is only that… talk, and talk is cheap.
Addressing the U.N. General Assembly, Win defended what he called the government’s “seven-step road map” to draft a new constitution and hold elections.
Hey it only been 14 years !! The current government hasn’t taken but a single step towards any constitution, at least there hasn’t been the slightest sign of an election and who is going to draft the new constituation anyway… oh the current regime will. which again took ahold of the government by force. I guess they will start a new cositiution when people stop demanding one right? I mean you can’t start taking steps towards democracy with all those protesters in the streets!! The the old phrase “the beatings will continue until morale improves” comes to mind.
Ambassador Win:
“Recent events make clear that there are elements within and outside the country who wish to derail the ongoing process so that they can take advantage of the chaos that would follow,” he said. “They have become more and more emboldened and have stepped up their campaign to confront the government.”
Myanmar’s ruling military junta imposed heavy security restrictions in Yangon, the former capital, last week as pro-democracy demonstrations began to attract tens of thousands of protesters.
Strange how ambassador win gets his dig on some anyonmous forgien power that is pro demcracy causeing instablity. Having a multiude of coup de tates isn’t what I would call stablity. I guess if you just overthrow the present government as a way to kick people you don’t like out of office instead of general elections is more civilized and promote more tyranny oops I meant more stabilty.
Would there even be a process if it were not for a few anynomous forgien powers stading up for the pro-democracy demonstartions? ( I really think that Win is trying to say the US is interfering and wants to profit from the “instability” shhh keep that quiet)
A little history lesson for starters. (courtsy of wekepedia)
BURMA/MYANMAR
Democratic rule ended in 1962 when General Ne Win led a military coup d’état. He ruled for nearly 26 years and pursued policies under the rubric of the Burmese Way to Socialism. In 1974, the military violently suppressed anti-government protests at the funeral of U Thant.
In 1988, unrest over economic mismanagement and political oppression by the government led to widespread pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the country known as the 8888 Uprising. Hundreds of demonstrators were massacred by security forces, and General Saw Maung staged a coup d’état and formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). In 1989, SLORC declared martial law after widespread protests. The military government finalized plans for People’s Assembly elections on 31 May 1989.[24]
SLORC renamed Burma “Myanmar” in the English language in 1989.
In May 1990, the government held free elections for the first time in almost 30 years. The National League for Democracy (NLD), the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, won 392 out of a total 489 seats, but the election results were annulled by SLORC, which refused to step down.[25] Led by Than Shwe since 1992, the military regime has made cease-fire agreements with most ethnic guerrilla groups. In 1992, SLORC unveiled plans to create a new constitution through the National Convention, which began 9 January 1993. To date, this military-organized National Convention has not produced a new constitution despite well over ten years of operation.[26] In 1997, the State Law and Order Restoration Council was renamed the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).
On 23 June 1997, Myanmar was admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The National Convention continues to convene and adjourn. Many major political parties, particularly the NLD, have been absent or excluded, and little progress has been made.[26] On 27 March 2006, the military junta, which had moved the national capital from Yangon to a site near Pyinmana, officially named it Naypyidaw, meaning “city of the kings”.[27]
OHH I just love that little part where the government held free elections in 1990 and boom the results were dismissed by the SLORC (the current regime),and of course who is in at the head of creating a new consitiution … same people. Don’t ignore that it is a seven step process please ingnore the FACT THAT IT’S BEEN 14 YEARS !! There is little if any evidence that they have begun step 1. This is especially noticeable how the “National Convention” which is supposed to be drafting a constitution leaves out other major political parties except of course the SPDC.
As we can see from the history of Myanmar those whom have staged armed coup d’état sieze control while others whom use peaceful demonstations have their elections annulled by the people with the tanks and guns. This should be a great lesson of the ineffectivness of passive resistance and the need for citizens everywhere to always bear arms! Have you kissed your gun today?
Links
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/01/myanmar.unrest/index.html?eref=yahoo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myanmar
