It’s hard to believe that a whole year has past since we saw such horrific images coming from inside Burma of the crackdown on monks and other peaceful protestors. On September 26th last year, Burma army soldiers attacked - beating and killing many. I can personally remember the feeling of dread every time I looked online for news updates. After a few days the international media slowed down it’s reporting, but the military regime increased their efforts to instil even more fear and uncertainty into the lives of the everyday people. Fear is one of the biggest weapons they have. photo: monks praying during demonstrations (AP)
Since the beginning of this month the city of Rangoon has seen police, intelligence officers and armed soldiers once more on the streets, monitoring monasteries, intimidating monks and arresting activists. The Generals have been determined to prevent any public commemoration of the anniversary. And they believe they can continue with this behaviour without international intervention. But what this regime does not seem to understand is that not everyone in the world is like them. It’s not about whether the situation in Burma affects the international community, it is whether the situation in Burma goes against everything that is right and moral and ethical and good. We should not just make a stand if it affects us, we should make a stand simply because it is wrong.
And what is the people’s desire? Well, ask the tens of thousands of refugees living in Thailand, or the 1.5 million displaced people living in the jungles of Burma, or the tens of thousands who last year found their voice and demonstrated throughout all the major cities and who paid an incredibly high price for doing so. Ask the many hundreds of thousands who lost their loved ones and homes during and in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis. Ask them what their desire is. I have had the opportunity to speak to some of these people, and I can tell you now, it certainly is not to see this wicked and brutal regime carry on in power. photo: IDPs hiding in the jungels of Burma (FBR)