Saturday, September 22, 2007

In Solidarity With The Burmese People





Burma: Shame On China, Russia

This reminds me of Nepal's magical April Revolution of 2006. This is how it starts. The Burmese masses have to come out into the streets in the hundreds of thousands, in every town, every city, every village, to shut the country completely down until the military junta hands over power to Aang Sang Su Kyi who would organize a multi-party interim government that would hold elections to a constituent assembly that would give Burma a new constitution, turn into a federal, democratic republic. (Proposed Constitution)

There is no need for talks. There is no need for compromise. You draw the line in the sand, and you stick to it.

Elected officials in all established democracies must lend their voice to Burma right about now. Heads of state in democracies must see the urgency of what is happening in Burma right now.

This is a do or die struggle for them. They have waited for long enough, for too long. What was due them in 1990 they will finally get it this time around.

It has to start big and intense. The bigger and more intense it is, fewer the number of casualties on the road to victory.

This stirring must not be allowed to go cold. This stirring must be led to its logical conclusion: a mass uprising. The bigger that mass uprising, less the chance that the junta will be able to suppress it.

The clearer and louder the voice of the democratically elected leaders and activists in the larger world, fewer protesters in Burma will be beaten, fewer will be arrested, fewer will get killed. The clearer and louder the voice, shorter will the movement have to be.

This stirring is also a great opportunity for Obama 2008. Burma has twice as many people as Iraq. A successful democracy uprising in Burma will show there is only one way to spread democracy in countries reeling under the thumbs of dictators: the grassroots way. Military invasion does not seem to do it.

India must come into the picture big time. The European countries should. America should. Australia. Nepal was the last country in the region and the world to do this. The leaders and activists in Nepal must extend all possible moral and logistical support. Reach out to the Burmese in Delhi, in New York City, and elsewhere. We have to show that Nepal's magical April Revolution 2006 was no accidental act. It was science. It can be done again, and again, and again. It can work every time in every country without democracy.

The First Major Revolution Of The 21st Century Happened In Nepal

They will declare curfews. Defy them. They will declare martial law. Defy martial law. Fill up the streets, day after day after day until the military junta totally and unconditionally gives up power.

They will shoot. When they do that, send more people out into the streets. There is only so many people they can shoot. But the shooters will be tried later.

Next stop: Zimbabwe, Bhutan.

Mugabe Chor, Desh Chhor
Zimbabwe: The Constitution Is Faulty
Zimpundit: Zimbabwe

India Is Wrong On Bhutan
2007: The Year Of The Revolution In Bhutan
Moriarty Should Take His Offer Directly To The Bhutani Refugees
Tek Nath Rizal And The Bhutani Hostage Crisis
Solve The Bhutani Refugee Crisis: Send Them West







In The News

Steep fuel increases protested in Myanmar at The Los Angeles Times
For Myanmar's poor, a daily struggle to find food AFP via Yahoo! News
Fuelling discontent in Myanmar at The Economist a huge rise in fuel prices. ..... without explanation or even a formal announcement, petrol was put up by two-thirds, diesel doubled and canisters of gas quintupled in price. ..... “88 Generation Students’ Group” ..... The 88 Generation is led by Min Ko Naing (a nom de guerre meaning “conqueror of kings”) who was released in 2004 after 15 years in jail, only to be arrested again last September and held for four months. His group’s recent protests have been aimed at highlighting the junta’s deep economic incompetence and the misery this is causing ordinary people, rather than campaigning for political change. They have been kept under surveillance but tolerated—until now.
The great game over Burma The Christian Science Monitor via Yahoo! News This weekend, President Bush plans to press the US case for political freedom in Burma with his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, at the annual summit of Asian-Pacific nations in Australia. He's not alone in this effort. First lady Laura Bush, who rarely speaks out on world issues, called the UN secretary-general last month to ask that he not remain silent about Burma's recent crackdown on dissidents and that he push for Security Council action. .... The time is ripe for change in this Southeast Asian country, despite 45 years of military rule. .... the International Committee of the Red Cross criticized the regime for "immense suffering for thousands of people," breaking its usual silence about the governments it works with. .... China, however, is the dominant foreign force in Burma and is seeking global respectability. With more than a million Chinese entrepreneurs in Burma and with hopes of using Burmese ports for easier shipping, Beijing can't afford instability in its southern neighbor. ...... both China and the US have a stake in at least ending the military's grip on one of the world's poorest countries.
Freezing out the generals does not help the Burmese at Daily Telegraph (UK) the generals who have run this former British colony for more than 40 years are a seriously nasty bunch of people. They are both mad and bad. ..... they have transferred the seat of government from Rangoon to an obscure part of the interior, Nay Pi Taw, at huge expense. ..... She cannot even stroll in her garden - it is so overgrown it is infested with cobras. ...... the Burmese army, totalling some 500,000 men, five times the size of Britain's, is engaged in a vicious programme of ethnic cleansing against its separatist foes in areas such as Karen state, where more than 200 villages were razed last year. As many as one million people have been driven from their homes in the past decade. ....... ranked Burma number one in the world for sheer brutality and contempt for the rule of law. ..... If you were a mad Burmese general holed up in your palace in the jungle, would you be bothered by Western economic sanctions when the Chinese and Indians will buy all the oil, gas, gems and timber you can produce, in return for flooding your country with cheap consumer goods? ....... the wiping out of troublesome tribes. .... And apartheid collapsed in South Africa after Margaret Thatcher defied some 50 Commonwealth countries and declared: "My own position is quite clear. Sanctions have never worked and never will." Mrs Thatcher traded with South Africa and the infusion of capitalism and liberal Western ideas over the years played no small part in that country's move to democracy. She also traded with the Soviet bloc: in 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. ...... Wouldn't it be better if we flooded Rangoon with tourists, mobile phones, credit cards, laptops and McDonald's and defied the generals to hold back the tide of global capitalism? Then, indeed, Burma's bamboo curtain might part.

Aung San Suu Kyi appears at protest in Burma Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
On the run in Burma BBC News, UK
UN moves on Burma Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia
Angelina wants to adopt a baby from Burma to add to her 'rainbow ... Daily Mail, UK
Concerned countries needed for dialogue on Burma Mizzima.com, India
Hollywood comedian calls for UNSC action on Burma Mizzima.com
MPs join Burma protesters outside Downer's office ABC Online, Australia Members of the Greens and the Australian Labor Party have joined a small rally outside Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's Sydney office, calling for action against the military government in Burma. ..... the Australian Coalition for Democracy in Burma ...... 1988 when 3,000 protesters were killed. .... the signs are very similar to those in early 1988 .... "The people of Burma will no longer tolerate the systematic human rights abuse, the suppression of democracy, the suppression of free speech. ..... "We could be on the verge of a major change in Burma." ..... He says international support for democracy will determine whether escalating violence turns into widespread killings. ..... "A smooth transition to democracy, without the sort of horrendous human rights violations that we saw in 1988, is really in the hands of people like the Howard Government to say internationally and loudly that they will not tolerate human rights abuse," Mr Kaye said.
China's Burma Policy Undermines Asia, UN, World Asian Tribune, Thailand a previously unseen human rights nightmare in plain view of global decision-makers and beg for a firm international response. ...... a quintupling of fuel prices, unleashed by a military dictator – Than Shwe -- ... the fortitude needed to march peacefully in the face of authorities armed with deadly weapons has not been matched by political courage among international policymakers. ...... the Security Council is making the same mistakes it made on Rwanda and Darfur -- sitting on its hands while a crisis explodes before its eyes. ...... In eastern Burma, Than Shwe’s regime has carried out a vicious scorched earth campaign targeting ethnic minority civilians. His troops have burned, destroyed and forced the abandonment of over 3,000 villages; to put this in the context of a more well-known international crisis, this is nearly twice as many villages as have been destroyed in Darfur. At least 1.5 million refugees have fled their homes in Burma, some across borders and others trapped deep inside the jungle where the regime hunts them down and kills them like animals. Rice fields and barns are being torched nearly every day. ....... Health indicators in these areas resemble those of conflict zones in Africa. ...... Than Shwe’s regime has also recruited up to 70,000 child soldiers – far more than any other country in the world. The use of forced labor by the regime, a modern-day form of slave labor .... Over 1,100 political prisoners remain locked behind bars ..... China undermined three diplomatic missions to Burma to secure the release of Suu Kyi by leading Southeast Asian senior statesman Indonesian Ali Alatas, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid, and Filippino Foreign Minister Alberto Romulo. ....... activists organized demonstrations in front of Chinese embassies in 10 countries on September 18th, the same day that monks took to the streets inside Burma. ..... Jeremy Woodrum is co-founder of the US Campaign for Burma
Burma in a shell Business Standard, India
Musicians club together for Burma Manchester Confidential, UK

Suu Kyi prays with monk protesters Reuters UK, UK
Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi greets Myanmar monks AFP
Burma Stirs Washington Post, United States Will the rest of the world stand by? .... jaded diplomats and academics have rebuffed Burma's democracy activists with one question: Why don't the people of Burma rise up? For the past month, they have been doing exactly that, against unimaginable odds and with unimaginable courage. So now a different question arises: Is the world -- its leaders, diplomats, academics and others -- going to stand on the sidelines or offer some help? ........ nation of 50 million people ..... the last great uprising, in 1988 ..... slow stirrings from students to monks to the general population and from the capital to smaller cities across the nation. ...... virtually every student leader is in prison .... brave Burmese with cellphones continue to relay photographs ..... China, which has more influence in Burma than any other country
Aung San Suu Kyi Greets Protesting Monks in Burma Voice of America
Monks continue Rangoon campaign Bangkok Post, Thailand
Witnesses: 10000 monks stage Myanmar protests CNN
Monks march in their 1000s News24, South Africa
Police back off Buddhist monk protest The Age, Australia
Aung San Suu Kyi appears at protest in Burma Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
Suu Kyi greets Burma protesters BBC News, UK
Suu Kyi Greets Monks at Her Home; 10000 Monks Demonstrate in Mandalay The Irrawaddy News Magazine, Thailand
Myanmar opposition leader Suu Kyi looks 'fit and well' says Monk Hindu, India
Monks lead protest rally in Yangon Inquirer.net, Philippines
Burma's Suu Kyi greets protesting monks ABC Online, Australia
Monks protest in Myanmar Gulf News, United Arab Emirates
Myanmar opposition leader greets protesting monks Euronews.net, France
Burma's anti-junta protests gather pace Irish Times, Ireland
Aung San Suu Kyi Greets Protesters Radio Free Asia, DC
Myanmar monks march past Suu Kyi's home Reuters Canada, Canada
Myanmar Monks Defy Junta For Fifth Day eFluxMedia
Birmania. Le lacrime di Aung San Suu Kyi La Pulce di Voltaire, Italy
Burmese and Indian activists call for greater Indian support Mizzima.com, India urged the Indian government to break its silence and extend its support to the ongoing protests in Burma as a sign of its commitment towards democracy. ..... Just as India helped Nepal, during a crisis, Indians are ready to help the Burmese to restore democracy in their country as the Burmese people look up to them ...... Similar protests have spread to other parts of the country. Monks on September 18 declared 'Pattanikuzana', an excommunicative boycott against the ruling junta
Thousands Of Monks Protest Against Burma's Military Government AHN
1500 monks continue to protest in Myanmar USA Today
Myanmar protest march by 1500 rain-soaked monks evokes public sympathy International Herald Tribune, France
Monks on the march Guardian Unlimited, UK
The Fighting Monks of Burma TIME to protest August price hikes .... the longest sustained display of dissent in Burma in nearly two decades. ...... this deeply devout nation .... On September 5, protests by clergy members in the holy city of Pakokku turned violent when security forces fired warning shots in the air, only to have the monks respond by taking officials hostage and torching their cars. ...... it was Burma's monks who spearheaded acts of civil disobedience against British colonialists. Buddhist clergy were also at the forefront of mass protests in 1988, which ended when the army gunned down hundreds of peaceful protestors and declared martial law. .... a violent confrontation may be unavoidable.


Democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi greets Myanmar monks AFP
Burma's anti-junta protests gather pace Irish Times "The monks just walked past chanting holy scriptures peacefully. ..... In their biggest march since launching the street campaign five days ago, at least 5,000 Buddhist monks marched through Burma's second largest city, Mandalay, today, witnesses said. Other observers put the marchers at nearly 10,000. ..... A group calling itself the All Burma Monks Alliance also, for the first time, urged ordinary people to join the monks "to struggle peacefully against the evil military dictatorship till its complete downfall". ....... in order to banish the common enemy evil regime from Burmese soil forever, united masses of people need to join hands with the united clergy forces." ........ what began as civilian anger at shock fuel price rises last month is becoming a more deep-rooted religious movement against the military, which has ruled the former Burma since a 1962 coup. ...... the army has been reluctant to crackdown on the monks, who began marching to demand an apology for soldiers who fired over the heads of a small group of protesting monks two weeks ago. .... Two men jailed for two years for giving water to protesting monks were freed yesterday after 1,000 monks had marched in Sittwe in northwest Burma and threatened more protests unless they were released. ..... Monasteries were key players in the 1988 uprising and analysts say the generals are making sure they treat the monks carefully this time around. They say any violent incidents would trigger public anger and could prompt tens of thousands to take to the streets.
Monks lead protest rally in Yangon Inquirer.net

Extremist Speakers a Dilemma at Colleges Washington Post
Castro mocks rumors of his death in TV interview AFP
Iraq Bill Backed by Democrats Blocked in Senate New York Times
Clinton Solidifies Edge as Rivals Take a Tougher Line New York Times consolidated her early lead .... showing steady strength ..... stepping up attacks. ..... “I think they’ve run a great campaign,” David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, said of Mrs. Clinton, of New York. “She’s been a very disciplined candidate. ..... Joe Trippi, said: “You used to be able to say the front-runners — her and Obama — but I don’t think that’s the case anymore. It’s pretty clear that she has sort of pulled away.” ...... Obama is moving to deal directly with what his advisers said continued to be his weaker flank — concerns about his experience — with a burst of television advertisements that began this week in Iowa and will continue next week in New Hampshire. ...... Iowa, where caucus voters often recoil at the sight of two-candidate spats. .... almost daily evidence that the Democratic presidential campaign has moved into a lively new phase ......... Obama’s aides are organizing black hair salon owners in South Carolina, a deep-seated social network that advisers said would be critical to pushing a historic black turnout that Mr. Obama hopes can deliver him victory there. In Iowa, the Obama campaign is signing up high school students who will be old enough to vote in the general election and can participate in caucuses. ..... Clinton, after winning a burst of attention by rolling out a detailed health care plan this week, is planning similar speeches in the weeks ahead on education and energy. .... Clinton’s advisers argued that it would probably end on Feb. 5 ...... Mr. Obama has begun preparing for a much more protracted campaign, arguing that it will be in effect a hunt for delegates that could last well into the spring. To that end, he is competing in some unlikely places — New York, for example, where he is holding a rally in Washington Square Park on Thursday — because under Democratic rules, delegates are allocated to candidates based on the percentage of votes they win. ....... But if there is one dominant sentiment in the Obama and Edwards camps these days, it is concern that Mrs. Clinton continues to do so well. ..... polls at this point in a campaign are notoriously unpredictable ...... “The key was to get the burst, stabilize it and make a run in the end.” ...... Axelrod said that Mr. Obama’s campaign had made a deliberate decision to hold off the bulk of its advertising money until now, when more people are paying attention, and that he was not concerned about polls or perceptions. Mr. Obama spent $1.5 million on television advertisements in Iowa, a substantial amount that Iowa Democrats said has not appeared to improve his standing significantly. ....... In the final week of August, Mr. Obama expressed frustration to some of his close associates at the course of his campaign, saying he felt his message was adrift, and personally took to rewriting some of the basic themes. ....... In Iowa alone, the Obama campaign is preparing to open its 31st field office, which is more than Mr. Edwards or Mrs. Clinton have. ... “They are doing the fundamental organizational building that Dean overlooked”
Obama campaign manager: don't count us out Baltimore Sun in tight three way race [in] Iowa; leading in the money race; have the largest grassroots organization in modern political history; and have an organizational advantage in the early states and February 5 over a quasi-incumbent from the most powerful political machine in modern political history ...... "several structural advantages." ... the best message, biography .... according to a Gallup poll in September Democratic voters prefer change to experience by a margin of 73 percent to 26 percent ..... The largest organizations with the most experienced staff and enthusiastic volunteers in the 4 early states ...... Harkin Steak Fry ... 5-6,000 people attended who were committed to candidates. Of that number, approximately 3,000 Obama Iowa supporters ..... “Organization plus Enthusiasm” is a time-tested formula for success in the caucuses ...... you could mistake Tom Harkin's steak fry for an Obama rally. ..... young voters are dramatically less likely to have caucused or voted regularly in primaries in the past, so pollsters heavily under-represent them. ....... young voters are more mobile and are much less likely to be at home in the early evening and thus less likely to be interviewed in any survey ...... young voters are much less likely to have a landline phone and much more likely to rely exclusively upon cell phones, which are automatically excluded from phone surveys ........ Clinton will pay a severe price for not winning Iowa - national front runners always do. ...... almost ensuring a positive Iowa result will result in a New Hampshire primary win. ..... We already have 2,000 volunteers in the Nevada, which is far and away the deepest volunteer organization in the state. ....... South Carolina ..... a public poll of just African-American voters was released last week that showed Obama with an eight point lead ..... South Carolina is now a very competitive two-way race ..... We have begun to deploy staff and build organizations in some of the February 5th states. We currently have staff in California, Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota and will have staff in over a dozen other states by the end of October. While momentum will likely be the dominant factor in deciding votes on February 5th, we plan to marry that momentum with the strongest organization and most financial resources in these February 5th states to emerge from that day with the most delegates and states won. ...... I'm 75 years old and I have to say that Senator Obama is the best candidate for President that I have seen in the last 25 years.
Obama Recruits Close Friend for Campaign The Associated Press Valerie Jarrett, the finance chair of Obama's 2004 Senate bid, will advise Obama on campaign strategy and possibly travel with him ....... will advise Obama part time, without an official title or campaign paycheck
Rivals Step Up Criticism of Clinton The Associated Press a candidate of the Washington establishment and beholden to special interests. ..... too divisive to govern effectively as president. ..... The shift in tone was perhaps inevitable, coming nine months into a largely cordial primary campaign .... a formidable candidate ... unlikely to stumble badly to give others an opening. ..... Biden suggested congressional Republicans would refuse to work with Clinton to accomplish health care reform. ..... "Let's be frank about this," Biden said. "What's changed to make you think Hillary is going to be able to put together the 15 percent of Republicans" who will be needed to enact any overhaul of the health care system? ....... Clinton had mismanaged her effort to reshape the nation's health care system during her husband's presidency and questioned why she touted that experience as evidence she should be allowed to try again. ....... Edwards has been particularly aggressive, claiming Clinton lifted his health care plan ..... For her part, Clinton hasn't taken the bait and has largely ignored the potshots from fellow Democrats. ...... She referred to Cheney this week as Darth Vader ..... Vilsack, said Giuliani's rocky personal life would be fair game in a general election.
Democrats: Party of Detail So Far in '08 The Associated Press
'Nepal prime minister may not contest polls' Times of India Shekhar Koirala, Nepali Congress central committee member, said PM Koirala is unlikely to contest the constituent assembly elections on November 22. Though the Morang and Sunsari chapters of Nepali Congress have urged the PM to be their candidate, there are chances that he will not file his candidacy .... Supporting the idea, Shekhar said, "As the party should be led by youths, PM Koirala should not file his nomination papers," for the polls stating that the legitimacy of the government will be under threat if the polls were not held on time.
Analysis: Bloomberg Vs. Giuliani on 9/11 The Associated Press

It’s warm-up time for WiMax play Sify WiMax is the popular name for the 802.16 wireless metropolitan area network standard, which has a range of up to 31 miles and is seen as the most cost-effective option for a country like India where wire line networks are yet to reach the hinterland. ...... target of 20 million by 2010 ...... BSNL, Reliance Telecommunications, VSNL, Bharti Televentures, Aircel, Sify, to name just a few, have already rolled out limited WiMax networks. Others like Tata Teleservices are testing networks at various places. ...... the BSNL tender for 10,000 WiMax base stations slated to open sometime soon which could open the floodgates. ....... Telsima is looking to rollout a massive 10,000 WiMAX base stations and 1,00,000 WiMAX subscriber stations this year ...... VSNL will extend its WiMax network to about 120 cities across India for enterprise customers and in five cities for retail customers by the end of the current financial year. ...... BSNL, which has undertaken pilots at 14 locations, is looking to roll out a WiMax network across in the country. ...... 1,000 citiesthe impending showdown between the WiMax players and the 3G lobby
Google, IBM Take Another Run At Microsoft's Office Suite InformationWeek New products from those companies are cheaper, delivered as a service, more collaborative, or more open than Microsoft's Office apps--in some cases, all of the above. ...... Office's market share at around 95%. ..... "They've been the only option for so long, culturally it's hard to make a switch ..... Zimbra, developer of an Ajax-based collaboration suite ...... Free productivity suites have been touted for years as an alternative to Office, with little success, despite the backing of IBM, Sun Microsystems, and others. ...... Microsoft's OpenXML document formats
Study: Soccer Beats Jogging for Fitness The Associated Press A friendly game of soccer works off more fat and builds up more muscle than jogging ..... the soccer players felt less tired after exercising than the joggers because they were having more fun. ..... the body fat percentage in the soccer players dropped by 3.7 percent, compared to about 2 percent for the joggers. .... The soccer players also increased their muscle mass by almost 4.5 pounds, whereas the joggers didn't have any significant change. Those who did no exercise registered little change in body fat and muscle mass. ...... the soccer players got a better workout because of intense bursts of activity. ...... Unlike the soccer players, the joggers consistently thought their runs were exhausting. ..... "There might be enormous benefits to telling people to play football twice a week," he said. "But if they're not going to do it, then that message may be useless."
Promising AIDS vaccine fails in experiment Houston Chronicle
Rather: I was forced to step down CNN International
George Clooney, girlfriend injured in motorcycle crash Actress Archives

बीजेपी में महिलाओं को 33 पर्सेंट स्थान नवभारत टाइम्स
मुशर्रफ के खिलाफ विपक्ष सड़क पर नवभारत टाइम्स
नेपाली गृह मंत्री ने सुरक्षा हालात का जायजा लिया नवभारत टाइम्स
कोइराला शायद ही लड़ें संविधान सभा का चुनाव दैनिक जागरण कोइराला संविधान सभा के महत्वपूर्ण चुनावों से अपने को अलग रख सकते ह ..... नेपाल कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी (माओवादी) के सदस्य शीघ्र ही सरकार में वापस लौटेंगे। .... पार्टी की कमान युवाओं को सौंपने की जरूरत को देखते हुए प्रधानमंत्री चुनाव से अलग रहने का निर्णय ले सकते हैं। .... सरकार से इस्तीफा देने वाले माओवादी मंत्री देव गुरंग ने बताया कि सरकार में फिर से शामिल होने या नहीं होने के बारे में उनकी पार्टी नेपाली कांग्रेस की महासमिति की बैठक के बाद फैसला करेगी।
नेपाल में फिर राजनीतिक संकट नव भारत
नेपाल में चुनाव आयोग का इरादा मज़बूत डी-डब्लू वर्ल्ड नेपाल के मुख्य चुनाव आयुक्त भोज राज पोखराल ने कहा है कि माओवादियों की धमकी के बावजूद 22 नवंबर को चुनाव हर हाल में कराए जाएंगे।




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