Burma Uprising - is there anything we can do to help.

Here are some links to petitions that I've been sent;


Petition To UK Government

Avaaz.org


Please add if you know of something that can be done.

These petitions are to the UN, and governments of countries that have some influence on Burma.

Personally;

I think the only real thing we can do is start a campaign to Boycott the Olympic Games in Bejing if China continues to block UN action on Burma. Then keep in mind that China is not a democracy and brutally killed many of it's own people in Tiananman Square in 1989 - only one year after the Myanmar government did the same.

The difference this time is that - due to the wonders of the internet we can see what is happening. Reply to this

Well - the Blogs from Burma that we have are not current - they show Burma from a travellers point of view - mostly from a few months ago. They don't reflect the current situation - if anything up to date comes in then I'll get it on to the front page.

Currently the Burmese government is cracking down on the protests - with force against unarmed civilians - it could get a whole lot worse. Reply to this

If your on facebook join this group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24957770200, i was planning to visit Burma on my big trip, although my girlfriend does not want me to go, Im in two minds as alot of people have said the Burmese people could do with the money i would spend there and also by going on can pass on a message to others i meet of what it is like and possibly then enough people from democratic countries pass the word on then governments may act and the junta may eventually be removed?..........so not sure if id be helping or hindering?


Thx Mike Reply to this

Ali,i hardly think writing these on travel blog or anyother platform on net will help situation in any way.I am not making a mean sentence but its logical from my personal view that what could few thousand vistors do on net.They arent there practically to help out the situation.So it doesnt really affect any person,govt,etc. Reply to this

Hello Ali 😊

I am really happy to see a travel site which takes an interest in this issue.

I think what we can do is not visit Burma(that is if we are ever allowed to have visas again), in support to the National Democratic League.
Afterall Aung San Suu Kyi asked tourists to boycott the country.

Mel

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Yes, it will be a democracy.
I hope and believe it will. 😊
Other countries gained freedom from dictatorship governments. Burma can too. There is every hope.
I travelled behind the iron curtain in Europe in 1989, while those countries were still under the thumb of dictators. Shortly after I was there, those countries overthrew their governments and became democracies. Sometimes I go back there, to see how things have changed.
We must keep pressuring the Burmese government in every peaceful way we can.

Mel Reply to this

For anyone interested there's a Facebook group 'Support the Monks' protest in Burma' Reply to this

We had one here about a year back; Ethical Tourism - Burma was an example in the discussion over and over, I've changed my point of view now - to travel to Burma now would be crass;

I don't know if there is a length of time that should pass before it would be, while the current junta remain in power without significant change - I don't think there can be. Reply to this

Ali, Mell and all,
thank you for concern for our people.
Mell, since you have discuss a lot in "Should or should not go to Burma" I have nothing much to say. Me, I do not support boycott.
Every one , including me in Myanmar want democracy and want to see Junta go away. However, if tourist does not come, only people will suffer. Anyway as mention, you have a lot of argue in 'should or should not go to Burma". So I will not argue about it.
You have mention "As soon as the Junta go, You will visit Burma." I wish it will happen in peaceful way and not like Iraq. Bush and all the media make us think that , once Saddam Husain is gone , Iraq will be in state of democracy . I think Bush also say the same words with what you said " It will be fascinating to witness the birth of democracy " when Saddam status was fall . But now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there may have democracy but everyday people , woman and children die by car bomb or shoot by troop under the name of ' attacking to terrorist base.' "Restoring law and order".

Who can guarantee that Daw Aung Sun Su Kyi can control Myanmar without Junta? Junta have make a peace with 16 groups out of 17 and Myanmar have 135 ethnic group. We have already experience with such conflict just after the independence from British and country have been battle field already.As we mention earlier , we do not want Junta but at the other hand we need them too not for long may be some time.
We want peaceful, engage, dialogs and change slowly. Not just over turn or boycott.
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Dear Mell,
I am totally agree with the road to democracy is not always smooth. That is the reason that we do not want boycott or sanctions in the first place.

For my opinion, boycott or sanction make country become more poor , then people will more hunger ,from hunger to anger on present government, and then come out to the street for protest and hope to topple the government. That is what most of the opposition want. All they want is to throw Junta first. Why can't they work with Junta and bring the democracy step by step .I prefer the way of China where democracy is not there yet but living standard is rise and I'm sure, they will get more democracy very very slowly but surely.

ASEAN country did not agree with sanctions but EU and American alliance push forward for sanctions in the ground of human right issue and etc. etc. but why not Saudi Arabia too ????????? Even England wellcome the King of Saudi with full of human right abuse record .

Come to the question of yours "Is there reason to believe that the different ethnic groups will war against each other if the Junta goes?" there may not be each other , but they will start to ask for independence state from Government and then become like SSR with become so many countries and states today, Russia, Bosnia,Estonia ,Latvia, ,Georgia ,Slovakia ... Most of the main group, Kachin, Karin, Shan, Rakhine, Mon had been asking for independence state since Burma gain independence from British in1948 and rise in rebellion since.

"The different groups in Iraq and Afghanistan have a long history of conflict between them." When Bush want to kill Saddam , Did he ever mention about ???? " He try the world to believe that Saddam have "WMD" and after Saddam, Iraq will be full of prosper and democracy. At this moment , after the years, all he can say is " Oh! My intelligence have wrong report, No WMD was found." Now EU and American try again that if JUNTA go, there will be birth of Democracy. Well, there may be but at what price?

"This might not necessarily happen in Burma."
Everyone only want to think about the good things in future and try not to think of worse thing. I'm aware of if we afraid of worse thing, then noting can come out from present situation too.

My opinion " No boycott, No Sanctions" , fill the stomach of people first and then Democracy.

My question "" Fill the stomach first or Democracy First?? ""
Example.. Look at the Singapore ,everyone said that they do not have full democracy but the government can fill the people stomach .
I would like to hear from you all.





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