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Don't Forget Burma

11 November 2007

The dramatic events of September on the streets of Rangoon, Burma, are naturally starting to fade from peoples minds, but I urge all not to forget and to keep your eyes on this country. It is interesting to note that the ruling Military Junta seem to be doing a strange dance with the United Nations, a sort of four steps back and three steps forward.

Mr Gambari keeps going back to Burma (BBC News) (he is the special advisor for the United Nations) and he seems to get a good reception and they do tend to listen to him. This is encouraging, however, it should be seen in the light of the fact that the Burmese authorities will throw people into prison for no real reason. During the September troubles, a leader of the protests was thrown in jail, nothing strange in that you might say, and you would be right, however, his wife was informed a week later that her husband had died in detention and they had saved her the bother and gone ahead and cremated his body! (How thoughtful of them)

Since the UN's Special Envoy has been going, there have been meetings between various members of the Military Junta and Ang Suu Kyi, the political leader who won the election back in the mid eighties, that was crushed by the military. However I shall be watching with greater interest the results of work undertaken by Paolo Sergio Pinheiro a Human Rights investigator working on behalf of the United Nations. He is to have access to whoever he wants in Burmas crowded Prison system.

Since the uprisings in September, there have been small attempts by some Monks to restart the marches, but this hasn't really taken off. I am surprised that people haven't tried to protest while any of the UN 'big wigs' are there. October saw raids on houses and residences of ordinary citizens who's only crime was to either look at, applaud or come out of their houses when the Monks were walking past, many people have been rounded up and thrown in jail.

The Army of Burma would seem to be having a few recruitment problems of late (BBC News) if news reports prove to be accurate; that they have started to fill gaps (due to shortages of personel) with child soldiers. Children as young as ten have been forced into the Army. This is obviously deplorable and should stop straight away, but if you look beyond the headlines it is very interesting.

The Army needs new recruits but for what reason can they not get all the men they need? Is there normally a large turnover of men in the Army? If yes why? Soldiers dying or are they just deserting because they don't want to put down their own people? If they are dying could it be that rebel armies (of which there are a few within Burma) are making significant progress in battles against the government army? Maybe they are just scratching away at the edges, but is the itch becoming an annoyance? Whatever is the case, you should keep an eye on what happens in Burma, maybe one day they will have the freedom that the people across the land border to them, the Thai people enjoy.

LINK: Burma watch website, I have no connection with this external website.

This page uploaded 15th November 2007

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