WikiLeaks blasted Vice President Mike Pence and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley on Friday after they tweeted calls for Burma to release two imprisoned Reuters journalists.
Myanmar Junta officials announced this week that they will release detained democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi as early as today from her detention.
Bret Stevens asked the question in The Wall Street Journal yesterday, “Does Obama believed in human rights?” …After nine months on the job we have our answer.
Remember: There is no killer regime too violent or undemocratic that the Obama Administration will not reward.In 2007 thousands of democracy activists in Burma (or Myanmar) rose up and protested against the brutal junta in control their country.
Tomorrow is the twenty year anniversary of the 8888 Protests in Burma.
Hundreds of thousands of people had been left homeless when the storm, packing winds of 190 kilometres (120 miles) per hour, ripped through the countryside -AFP.The AP posted video of the cyclone aftermath:Burma blogger Niknayman has photos of the destruction.Democratic Voice of BurmaMore than 10,000 are dead from the deadly cyclone this weekend according to Myanmar (Burma) officials.CNN reported:The death toll from the Myanmar cyclone is more than 10,000 people, Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry office said.Diplomats were summoned to a government briefing Monday as the reclusive southeast Asian country’s ruling military junta issued a rare appeal for international assistance in the face of an escalating humanitarian crisis.A state of emergency was declared across much of the country following the 10-hour storm that left swathes of destruction in its wake.The staggering death toll would make the cyclone the deadliest natural disaster to hit Myanmar in recent history, according to figures compiled by a United Nations-funded disaster database.
The brave Buddhist monks of Burma have vanished since the crackdown by the junta on the democracy protests in September.Zayar took this photo of the thousands of monks marching in the Hledan area of Rangoon back in September.
More Horror Stories From Inside Myanmar.A student protester is shot…A young student is shot at a democracy rally in Burma when junta soldiers started firing on the crowd.
CNN aired video of the junta violently beating the democracy protesters with sticks in Burma yesterday:(Warning- Horribly Violent)The junta continues to hunt down democracy protesters in Rangoon.
AND JUST THINK, IT ONLY TOOK FOUR DAYS!But, thank goodness the UN Special Envoy was finally allowed to see the Myanmar junta leader General Than Shwe for a special UN meeting.The BBC reported:Mr Gambari was intending to urge the general “to cease the repression of peaceful protest”, release detainees and embrace democracy and human rights, a UN spokesman said before the talks.
MASS SLAUGHTER IN BURMA!There are reports coming from Burma that the slaughter of innocent democracy protesters and monks was massive.Ko Htike reports that there are hundreds of Buddhist monks being detained and starved by the junta:Reports emerging from Rangoon indicate that the temporary detention centres based in Yangon Institute of Technology and General Institute of Technology (GTI) are currently detaining 500 hundred monks.
UPDATE: Media says the death toll is much higher than what is being reported.Myanmar Soldiers Fire on Students and Journalists!The brutal murder of Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai at the hands of the military junta was caught on tape for all the world to see.
UPDATE: NINE ARE DEAD!The BBC again has video of the protests in Rangoon HERE.Burmese blogger Ko Htike has several photos of the brutal beatdown by the junta including this one.Democratic Voice of Burma reports that residents surrounded the security forces who raided the monastery:Local residents in South Okkalapa township have surrounded security forces who returned to Ngway Kyar Yan monastery to arrest the abbot following last night’s raids.At least 130 monks were detained in the raid on the monastery, and personal belongings including robes, rice and 2,000,000 Kyat in cash were seized.Security forces returned at around noon today to arrest the abbot and took up positions surrounding the monastery.But hundreds of thousands of local residents, outraged by the raids, surrounded the troops, shouting anti-government slogans and demanding the immediate release of the detained monks.“The military is surrounding the monastery and firing warning shots to disperse the crowds, but people are standing firm,” said a bystander.The latest reports from the scene say that more people are joining the crowds.
Democratic Voice of Burma reported that at least 3 Buddhist monks were killed!The BBC has video of the chaos HERE.Around 30,000 people went out to protest today in Burma despite the threats by the military junta -DVB.In this photo released by the Democratic Voice of Burma, Buddhist monks stand in front of riot police as they demonstrate in Yangon Myanmar on Wednesday Sept.
100,000 protesters marched down the streets of Rangoon today to push for democracy!The locals are surrounding the protesting Buddhist monks locking arms to protect them from being attacked by the junta thugs.People march in protest in Yangon.
Meanwhile, over in the junta…The largest protest in nearly 20 years was held today against the junta in contol of Burma!Over 20,000 marched in the rain today against the military rule.The BBC has video (HERE) from the extraordinary protests.Buddhist nuns march at Shwedagon Pagoda during a protest against the military government in Yangon, Myanmar, Sunday, Sept.
Meanwhile, over in the junta…Aung San Suu Kyi (in the center of the yellow gate) greets the Buddhist monks in tears in front of her home on September 22, 2007.
What do you know about Myanmar?If you’re like most people- you probably do not know much about this brutal regime.
A rare protest took place in Myanmar this weekend.
China certainly is making the rounds lately!
** 500 Democracy Activists rally in Yangon, Myanmar, today!
Filipino Priest Robert Reyes says mass for the release of Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi outside the presidential palace in Manilla on Monday, May 30th..
May 27, 1990Fifteen years ago today, excited Burmese citizens went to cast votes in the first democratic elections the country had seen in decades.
The French rule out an exit from Myanmar.Workers for the French oil giant Total pumping gas out of the military junta.
**The Carnival of the Revolutions is back!**Democratic reformers living in “fear societies” don’t necessarily need guns or large wads of cash to succeed.
One of the “Six Outposts of Tyranny” is feeling pressure…Burmese Protest the Junta in Kyoto.
**Another of the “Six Outposts of Tyranny” may be Unraveling**The military regime of Burma (Myanmar) is not impressed with the democratic developments they are witnessing in the post 9-11 world.
