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sway2sway
10-12-2007, 01:40 AM
has anyone been following the mess over there?

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101107A.shtml

I haven't too much, but it's hard not to hear about it. That article talks about the crackdown on the monks and anyone remotely thought to be sympathetic. It reminds of that book I read a while ago (the bathhouse) about the rounding up of politicals in Iran in the early 80's (and anyone related to a political person, or anyone who talked too much, or etcetera etcetera)

I was sent an email about the US Campaign for Burma.

http://www.uscampaignforburma.org/join/joinnow.html


and of course China is involved in supporting this mess (their atrocities never fail to surprise me anymore). The below part is from the letter sent to me by the Campaign for Burma.

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Pressure is beginning to build up on China to stop its complete support for Burma's military regime. In a letter to China signed by 20 former Presidents and Prime Ministers from many countries, the leaders call on China. The leaders call on China to change its position by supporting the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and national reconciliation in Burma and also supporting a global arms embargo on Burma.

This is a major breakthrough -- it may be the first time in history that this many prominent leaders have called for China to support a weapons ban on Burma.

This follows a similar call by Desmond Tutu, in which he said he would boycott the Olympics if China continues its all-out support for the military regime.

When one reads the Olympic slogan "One World, One Dream" it may seem hypocritical to some that China would block a UN initiative to ban arms shipments to a miltary regime that only uses them on their own people. Yet, it is true.

In fact, the UN Security Council is right now working on a non-binding statement to criticize the slaughter of innocent monks and civilians in Burma, and China is even trying to "water down" the language so it is as weak as possible. Shameful.

We are only just beginning to fight, and China is going to be hearing from a lot more people in the very near future. As long as China refuses to do anything meaningful on Burma, we will support an Olympic boycott. As of now the Olympic games are a shameful tribute to the worst kind of behavior. Take a minute today to send an email to the Olympic organizers letting them know where you stand. We want millions of people to email them and let them know you plan to boycott the Olympics: ticketsupport@beijing2008.cn

China is greatly concerned about the possibility of a boycott -- that is why last week they called an emergency press conference in Washington, DC to defend themselves -- but at the press conference, they announced no changes in their policy on Burma. It was just a sham.

Let's take action today -- let them hear you loud and clear.
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Miss Shark
10-12-2007, 01:30 PM
I know people that fled Burma w their family when they were still quite small, but not so small that they don't remember. One of the daughters dated my little brother. She's brilliant and beautiful. Last I heard she had passed the BAR in 3 different states, but never wanted to pratice law. Another of the sisters is a hospice nurse, and she would come and help me take care of my mother.

Burma is now number 2 in poppy farming, and have slid into making meth as well.

sway2sway
05-11-2008, 03:07 AM
You'd have to be living under a rock, not to have heard of the cyclone over there.


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Burma's military government raised its death toll on Tuesday from the devastating Cyclone Nargis to just under 22,500 people, state media reported.

An additional 41,000 people were missing as a result of the cyclone, which ploughed into the Irrawaddy delta on Saturday, triggering a massive storm surge that swept inland.


http://www.nationalpost.com/story.html?id=496149

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Who knows what the end tally will be over there. It really is quite ugly, what with the Burmese govt confiscating aid, not allowing foreign aid workers in, humanitarian organizations threatening to stop sending aid. It is supposed that if help does not get in there soon, the second wave of death will begin to roll, sickness and death from the conditions ( decomposing dead bodies, lack of clean drinking water, inadequate food, no sanitation).

Anyway, I saw this call for donations this morning and it made the best sense to me, considering what we're dealing with. I gave a little and thought I'd share the information, in case anyone else was able and wished to do the same. Or perhaps, you're not in a position to do so, but may know someone else who may be able to (and want to) spare a few bucks.

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The following appeal was sent to members of MoveOn.org, offering an alternative way to help with the disaster in Burma.

In the wake of a massive cyclone, tens of thousands of Burmese are dead. A million are homeless.

But what's happening in Burma is not just a natural disaster -- it's also a catastrophe of bad leadership.

Burma's brutal and corrupt military junta failed to warn the people, failed to evacuate any areas, and suppressed freedom of communication so that Burmese people didn't know the storm was coming when the rest of the world did. Now the government is failing to respond to the disaster and obstructing international aid organizations.

Humanitarian relief is urgently needed, but Burma's government could easily delay, divert or misuse any aid. The International Burmese Monks Organization, including many leaders of the democracy protests last fall, launched a new effort to provide relief through Burma's powerful grass roots network of monasteries -- the most trusted institutions in the country and currently the only source of housing and support in many devastated communities.You can help the Burmese people with a donation and see a video appeal to Avaaz from a leader of the monks.

Giving to the monks is a smart, fast way to get aid directly to Burma's people. Governments and international aid organizations are important, but face challenges -- they may not be allowed into Burma, or they may be forced to provide aid according to the junta's rules. And most will have to spend large amounts of money just setting up operations in the country. The monks are already on the front lines of the aid effort -- housing, feeding, and supporting the victims of the cyclone since the day it struck. The International Burmese Monks Organization will send money directly to each monastery through their own networks, bypassing regime controls.

Last year, more than 800,000 of us around the world stood with the Burmese people as they rose up against the military dictatorship. The government lost no time then in dispatching its armies to ruthlessly crush the nonviolent democracy movement -- but now, as tens of thousands die, the junta's response is slow and threatens to divert precious aid into the corrupt regime's pockets.

The monks are unlikely to receive aid from governments or large humanitarian organizations, but they have a stronger presence and trust among the Burmese people than both. If we all chip in a little bit, we can help them to make a big difference.

this is the link to donate-

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/

tinkerlion
05-11-2008, 01:15 PM
thanks for the info sway.

sway2sway
05-12-2008, 03:09 PM
The UN's prediction-

"Given the gravity of the situation, including the lack of food and water, some partners have reported fears for security, and violent behaviour in the most severely afflicted areas," the agency said.

It said "the number of deaths could range from 63,290 to 101,682, and 220,000 people are reported to be missing." It said "acute environmental issues" posed a threat to life and health.



http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=9232e607-856e-4e2f-8184-45309059ae1d

sway2sway
05-12-2008, 04:29 PM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/11/cyclonenargis.burma2

Burma is still exporting rice even as it tries to curb the influx of international donations of food bound for the starving survivors of the cyclone that killed up to 116,000 people.

Sacks of rice destined for Bangladesh were being loaded on to a ship at the Thilawa container port at the mouth of the Yangon River at the end of last week, even though Burma's 'rice bowl' region was devastated by the deadly storm a week ago.

Miss Shark
05-12-2008, 09:28 PM
It's seriously unfathomable to me what's going on over there. I read somewhere that 2 million people have been displaced.

These pictures got me
Before

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/RebeccaLB/Myanmar_TMO_2008106_lrgs.jpg

After

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s127/RebeccaLB/Myanmar_TMO_2008126_lrgs.jpg