Who Can Save The Three Boatwomen, And How?

On February 4th, Dr Aung Moe Nyo, an MP for Pwint Phyu and 5 of his National League for Democracy Party members travelled to attend a Buddhist ordination ceremony in Ye Nan Chaung where they encountered intimidation and harassment from the juntas local representatives and police. The NLD group had to stay overnight in Ywa Dan Shay village as no boatmen would agree to take them across the river to the ceremony. It was learned that Kone Saung police chief Sein Win, and assistants Myint Thu and San Wai had been to the jetty earlier to force every boatman to sign an agreement promising not to take NLD members across the river.

The next day a boatwoman and 2 female family members from Ywa Dan Shay, decided to take Dr Aung Moe Nyo and group to Ye Nan Chaung, knowing the authorities could punish them for doing so. On February 6 the three ladies fears were realised when they were detained overnight for interrogation at Salin police station. The ladies were released on the following day only to find that their licence to take passengers across the River Irrawaddy, and their only source of income, had been withdrawn.

By February 10 the local residents and NLD members learnt about the situation of the boatwomen and started public collections to help support the 3 ladies with food and other assistance. However, as soon as the juntas’ representatives found out about the depth of public support for the ladies, they mounted guards outside their house to prevent any delivery of food or any other support.

Ten days later,(February 20th) DVB, the Democratic Voice of Burma reported the situation of the 3 ladies of Ywa Dan Shay, Salin, Magwe. Dr Aung Moe Nyo announced that material help for the ladies is all ready to deliver as early as possible.

These tactics are new, even in the junta’s despicable record. Since the military took over power by force in 1962 they have committed so many crimes – murders, rapes, imprisonment and torture, mostly behind the scenes. Sometimes, such is their absolute contempt for the Burmese people, that these beatings and even shootings, were carried out in broad daylight, in front of witnesses and cameras.

However, deliberately banning the three women from work, then also stopping them receiving any donations from the sympathetic public is one of the boldest non-covert actions the junta has perpetrated, as bold and brazen as the appalling public murder of a foreign journalist in the streets of Rangoon.

It has now been about 20 days since the ladies’ work permit was revoked and they were imprisoned in their own home, with their house under 24 hour surveillance. It is difficult to understand what the so called authorities are trying to achieve by their action.

• Do they think they can endear themselves with the Burmese public by forcing the three boatwomen to slowly starve to death, as a punishment for treating NLD members as normal citizens?

• Do they also think the members of the NLD party will show regret, change their minds and pervert themselves to join the junta instead? Or

• Do they simply want the general public to learn yet another harsh lesson that if they don’t listen solely to the junta and instead try to support the opposition party, NLD , they will also have to suffer?

What ever the reason, it is more important for the general public to think and plan how to support these three poor, honest and courageous ladies who earned their living ferrying passengers across the vast Irrawaddy river, in competition with their male colleagues.

The authorities who are camping outside the ladies’ house must be shamed. If the local residents are in unity and solidarity, in the belief that this is one of the most shameful and embarrassing event that could happen to Burma, they must unite in facing down the local followers of the junta. According to the report, the local NLD party members have collected food and other supporting items for the ladies and are waiting for a chance to deliver them. The public and the monks and nuns, must now support the NLD’s action because this is a very clear ‘make or break’ opportunity for everyone, who wants to test and examine their own humanitarian and moral beliefs. If all of the public do not unite and support the NLD in this most ugly event, and check the junta’s shameless bullying, then they must know that they have just determined their own fate too at the hands of all of the military juntas bullies and murderers.

The public must gather around the home of the ladies to see what the juntas followers are doing, making sure that all their cowardly actions are observed and recorded, in the eyes, ears and in the memories of all the people. They must find out the individual names of the police criminals and junta representatives and persons involved, and spread this information across the Division, to all the Districts, towns and villages. The families of the all the junta and followers across the land must be made to known that their men’s actions are noted as cowardly, shameful and repugnant to all normal human society.

The NLD and general public must also report the way the 3 imprisoned ladies are being treated, to ILO officials in Rangoon, while the exiled Burmese groups must report the event to Human Rights organizations and ILO offices, and anything else they can do to help the event gains increased local and international public awareness.

End

Time to Start Radio Campaign for Free Burma

BURMA SITMONE Weblog

This blogger has posted variety and numerous posts in this web-log. Almost all were telling readers how bad was the Military Junta of Burma, how Burmese people suffers under the Dictatorial regime, and statements of the pro democracy movements and news of ongoing campaign against the Military Junta.

However, this blogger feels that it would be very lucky if these posts are read by one percent of Burmese people staying inside the country. This blogger who is a Burmese, however unable to type in Burmese language fast enough to create a post.So, What are the numbers of my own countrymen received this blogger’s message? It will be very insignificant.

There are wonderful young and energetic Burmese bloggers who have been posting very relevant and interesting opinion in Burmese language .

Military Junta has effectively blocked the work of most famous Burmese bloggers (blogger.com). Arrest of Burmese blogger Nay Phone Latt, Burmese poet Ko Saw Way and recent arrest of Myanmar Nation’s journalists were systematic attack to Free Press and Internet Blogs by terror and fear.

At the same time Junta has declared referendum to be started by May,2008. This is also well planned and calculated attack to pro democracy movement. All of us out here understand that “this referendum” is going to be a sham. However Burmese people are at gun point, and it will be very difficult for them not to follow Junta’s orders as their utmost priority will be to survive the every single harsh day.

For them, Rambo is easy to understand than referendum. Constitution of Burma, which is so vital for future Burma may be something difficult to understand. ( I am well aware of existence of awakened Burmese in rural area) Majority of Burmese are farmers and from rural areas with so much difficulty for day to day survival.

Only way this blogger could think of is that the information relating referendum and constitution to be spread among the Burmese people through radios. The recent news of Burmese from Korea donated radios to Burmese people at border is a very significant move for freedom of Burma.

Now, DVB, RFA, which are run by exile Burmese groups should increase the radio campaign, with simple and straight forward news and programs about importance of referendum and constitution. These program should be started as soon as possible.

We should seek help from VOA,BBC, Aljazeera and CNN to get more news coverage of Burma and more slot of live discussions about freedom of Burma. These program should be able to download from Internet locally and must be able to distribute with Burmese subtitle in pirated VCDs. ( If Burmese can put Korean Movie with Burmese sub title there is no reason that we are unable to add subtitle to these useful discussions which is for urban population)

This blogger feels that this is the high time to start radio campaign for free Burma, as radios are cheap, easily available for majority of Burmese staying in rural area of Burma.

Let us start the Radio campaign for Free Burma.

Sit Mone

Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan

Dear Friend

I am writing today with very sad news. On Thursday 14th February Padoh Mahn
Sha, the father of one of our staff members, Zoya Phan, was assassinated by
agents of the military regime in Burma. Two gunmen came to his house and
shot him in the chest.

Padoh Mahn Sha was General Secretary of the Karen National Union, which
represents the Karen ethnic group in Burma in their struggle for democracy
and human rights.

He was a greatly respected leader who had dedicated his life for the
struggle for freedom. He was killed because of his effective and principled
stand against the regime.

His assassination is yet more evidence, as if it were needed, that the
regime is determined to cling on to power, no matter what. They see leaders,
such as Padoh Mahn Sha, who speak out for freedom and justice, as a threat
to their survival.

Many of you will have seen Zoya Phan speak at events and on television news
or seen her articles in our magazine. You can view some of her speeches on
our website at http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/pm/videos.php

Zoya and her brothers and sister have set up a fund in memory of their
father. Donations can be made online at http://www.zoyaphan.com. The fund
will be used to tackle poverty and provide education in Karen state, two
issues very close to Padoh Mahn Sha¹s heart. Please visit
http://www.zoyaphan.com. You can donate by credit card from any country or
you can send a cheque made out to ŒBurma Campaign UK¹ and post it to Padoh
Mahn Sha Fund, care of Burma Campaign UK, 28 Charles Square, London N1 6HT,
UK.

A statement from the children of Padoh Mahn Sha, released on the day of his
death, follows below.

Anna Roberts
Director, The Burma Campaign UK


Statement from the children of Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan

We are very sad to lose a great father and a great leader.

We were lucky to have a father who was caring and full of love. He gave us
guidance and support, and taught us tolerance and to stand against
injustice. He could not give us wealth or luxury, but ensured that we had an
education and the opportunity to fulfill our potential

He was always humble, yet a strong and brave leader. He dedicated his life
to the struggle, and always put the welfare of his people and his country
before himself. His example of determination and self-sacrifice to win our
freedom won him the love and respect of not just the Karen people, but also
the Burmese democracy movement and of freedom loving people around the
world.

He will be remembered by many not only as an inspirational leader, but also
on a personal level for the many acts of kindness he performed for those who
needed help.

We are proud to be his children, as all Karen people and all people who long
for freedom in Burma are proud of him.

Our father may be dead, but we will remember him. He taught us that it was
our duty to work for the Karen people, and as his children we will continue
his dedicated work towards true freedom for our people and peace in our
country.

His determination for freedom and democracy lives on within us and within
the Karen people. He did not live to see freedom for our people, but his
dream will be fulfilled. The Karen, and all the people of Burma, will be
free.

We will be establishing a foundation in memory of our father. Donations can
be made online at www.zoyaphan.com

Saw Say Say
Nant Bwa Bwa Phan
Nant Zoya Phan
Slone Phan


A brief biography of Padoh Mahn Sha

Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan was born in Rangoon on 5th July 1943.
He graduated from Rangoon University in 1966 with a degree in history.

He joined the Karen National Union (KNU) in 1963. In 1964 he became a member
of the KNU Central Committee, and was elected Joint General Secretary in
1995. He was elected General Secretary in 2000, and is also a member of the
Secretariat of the National Council of the Union of Burma, the umbrella
organisation representing organisations in the Burmese democracy movement.

Padoh Mahn Sha married Nant Kyin Shwe in 1976. She passed away on 31st July
2004. He is survived by four children, two sons and two daughters; Saw Say
Say, Nant Bwa Bwa Phan, Nant Zoya Phan, Slone Phan


To make a donation to the Padoh Mahn Sha fund, please visit
http://www.zoyaphan.com

Businesses Owned And Run By The Military Junta

Original post : Ko Htike's blog
Translation by Nay Chi U

BOYCOTT THE JUNTA, MONK KILLERS

A list of businesses owned and run by military junta’s top generals, their families and sycophants.

Reference : 2/2008, Appendix A

Date : 18 01 2008


1) Aung Barlay Lottery, owned by the Junta

2) Htoo Trading Company’s Businesses, owned by Tay Za, Than Shwe’s Finance Adviser

3) Hlyat Tapyet Journal, owned by Myat Khine

4) Mandalay Nan Myint Journal, owned by USDA , Mandalay

5) London Cigarette, owned by U Pine Co Ltd

6) Myanmar Beer & Dagon Beer, owned by U Pine Co Ltd

7) Samsung Electronic, AA Pharmac and Sunday Mart all owned by General Ye Myint’s son Aung Zaw Ye Myint and family

8) Queen Star Computer Company, owned by General Maung Aye’s daughter Nanda Aye

9) J Doughnut, owned by Supreme General Than Shwe’s son Kyaing Than Shwe and group

10) Shwe Man Thu and Taw Win, Long Distance Coaches and Cars, owned by U Pine, Bandoo La Company


11) Korea Daewoo Products, owned by Daewoo Company which buit a Weapons Factory for the junta

12) Luxury Products from China (China is selling weapons and other intelligence technique to junta, interfering in the UN Security Council’s decision to help the people of Burma and politically supporting the military junta that brutally crushes any democratic and human rights movement.)


Notification To General Public

A) The citizens of Burma have been intimidated and repressed by the junta’s generals and their sycophants, who have total control of the country’s economic and humanitarian situation. To help restore some power to the public and help restore democracy to our country, we must start by boycotting the businesses owned and run by the military junta group and its followers.

B) Please be a responsible citizen and inform the public of any other businesses owned and run by the military group to the nearest media so that we are all aware.

The Public Movement Organizing Committee

BOYCOTT THE JUNTA, MONK KILLERS

Original post : Ko Htike's Blog
Translated by Nay Chi U

An Appeal By The Public Movement Organizing Committee

Reference : 2/2008 SCMM

Date : 18-02-2008

To The General Public

Under the military rulers we, the general public are getting poorer everyday and the poverty net that surrounds us is just bigger and wider. By contrast, a handful of the military generals, and their families and friends, are getting extremely wealthy, that they can hardly find enough banks to keep all the money they have extorted from the people of Burma.

While repeatedly shouting out loud that they are encouraging a market economy system, the military group are in practice using the Burmese economy as their own market and selling of the counties’ resources for their own benefit. As a result the public, from individual road sellers to small and medium business owners and all other employed workers have to struggle to survive while it is impossible to live and work in a straightforward way as they are forced to pay huge taxes, forced donations and contributions, fines and penalty payments.

Our country’s important businesses and all natural resources are under the control of the military group, where they can sign contracts, permit or license at will, allowing them to steal the nations wealth that is they almost choke on it. Meanwhile we, the public, have to work from dawn till dusk, simply to survive.


Our country’s health, education and social services are also some of the worst in the world. Virtually none of the money stolen from the public, and none of the vast income from the sale of our country’s natural resources are spent on public services. The money goes either to the small ruling junta, family and followers, or to buy more lethal weapons which they can use to intimidate, repress and kill its own monks and citizens. Any public services built with the minimal funds used are for cosmetic effect only, for duping the international media, but what benefit do we actually get? Aren’t we all paying ourselves for health, education, social and all other services? We are like captive zoo animals, used by the junta to gain international aid, through our poverty and suffering, from which the corrupt authorities cut all the flesh for their own consumption, and laugh in the face of the public as they throw them the bones.

Whenever the country’s suffering and poverty is referred to the junta always blame it on the international economic sanctions. The international community has repeatedly offered immediate help and support if they start to make changes in the political and economical situation of the country which the junta repeatedly refuses at the cost of continued public starvation.

Their one real policy is to maintain their control over everything in the country. In such a situation, every investment, all support and aid, pumps money into the junta’s own bank accounts, while the public remains poor.

Intimidation and bullying of vulnerable civilians has become a casual regular practice all the way down from the central to the lower level authorities, where we are being controlled by fear– ludicrously unreasonable laws, arbitrary orders and the grossly punitive prison sentences.

If we continue to put up with the abuse, bullying and repression, our off-springs will also become the slaves to the junta’s obnoxious offspring. We must work to improve our own children’s future. Our reply to the junta must be directed at replacing their violent and grossly evil selfishness with fairness and peace. We must defend ourselves from the lethal power of the juntas’ endless weaponry through the power of the people.

We must now boycott the junta’s own businesses.

That way

• We are systematically helping to reclaim our own rights and economy which has been stolen from us.

• We are protecting and defending our own rights and benefits,

• We are peacefully and lawfully answering the bullies instead of just tamely complying and suffering,

• We are staging the silent mass protest and demonstration, which reflects public solidarity,

• We are helping to stop the arrest, torture and killing of the monks, nuns, students, civilians and ethnic groups.

……..We must all participate …….

• This is an obligation for all of us Burmese who are denied all human rights,
• This is to secure the continued existence of our society into the future,
• This is our National movement.

To start to resolve all the issues and problems which beset our country, including poverty, the SPDC military junta must engage in meetings with public leaders including the ethnic groups and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. This is the only way that the country will be able to find peace and in time, to develop.

We will be maintaining these economic sanctions and boycotts until genuine discussions begin to find a clear resolution to our daily struggle with the problems of basic subsistence, maintaining health and gaining an education.

In solidarity and union, we will march forward together until we achieve these absolutely essential goals.

The Public Movement Organizing Committee

1 All Burma Monks Alliance (ABMA)

2 United Groups of Ethnic Youths

3 All Burma Federation of Students Union

4 8888 Generation Students

5 Peace loving Muslim Organization

6 Generation Wave (New Blood Youth Organization)

7 Lawyers Union

8 Poets Union

9 New Generation Journalists Union

10 Public Activities Development Committee (Mandalay)

11 Public Activities Development Committee (Rangoon)

12 Writers and Artists Group

The Junta's What-Fruit Tree

14 February 2008

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta was reigning in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as the leader of a caravan. Once when journeying with five hundred carts from East to West, he came to the outskirts of a forest. Assembling his men, he said to them:--"In this forest grow trees that bear poisonous fruit. Let no man eat any unfamiliar fruit without first asking me." When they had traversed the forest, they came at the other border on a What-fruit tree with its boughs bending low with their burthen of fruit. In form, smell and taste, its trunk, boughs, leaves and fruit resembled a mango. Taking the tree, from its misleading appearance and so forth, to be a mango, some plucked the fruit and ate; but others said, "Let us speak to our leader before we eat." And these latter, plucking the fruit, waited for him to come up. When he came, he ordered them to fling away the fruit they had plucked, and had an emetic administered to those who had already eaten. Of these latter, some recovered; but such as had been the first to eat, died. The Bodhisatta reached his destination in safety, and sold his wares at a profit, after which he travelled home again. After a life spent in charity and other good works, he passed away to fare according to his deserts.

_____________________________

It was when he had told this story, that the Master, as Buddha, uttered this stanza:--

As they who ate the What-fruit died, so Lusts,
When ripe, slay him who knowing not the woe
They breed hereafter, stoops to lustful deeds.

Having thus shewn that the Lusts, which are so sweet in the hour of fruition, end by slaying their votaries, the Master preached the Four Truths, at the close whereof the concupiscent Brother was converted and won the Fruit of the First Path. Of the rest of the Buddha's following some won the First, some the Second, and some the Third Path, whilst others again became Arahats.

His lesson ended, the Master identified the Birth by saying, "My disciples were the people of the caravan in those days, and I their leader."

________________________


(To the fifty million people in Burma, who will be forced to vote in a constitutional referendum in May and general elections in 2010. The sadistic junta who shamelessly refused to hand over the power to the National League for Democracy Party, which won the landslide victory in the election in 1990, has been drafting a new constitution in closed meetings without any input from opposition leaders or ethnic groups. I personally see the proposed referendum as poisonous fruits of a What-fruit tree and hope that the citizens of Burma do exactly the same.

Yours faithfully

Goldie Shwe)

To read the full story please click here.

Elation Over A Murder?

10 February 2008
By Goldie Shwe

I was just skimming through the DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma) for Burma’s daily news when I saw that report of the murder of a member of USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association) - junta's paramilitary wing of 'social welfare' organization. I had hardly finished reading the summary before I started smacking my own arms; the Burmese style war dance and challenge, similar to Maori Haka. My own reaction surprised me and made me think why I naturally reacted with elation and triumph.

Not only was I brought up as a Buddhist, it was also my choice of religion and I have great and fundamental respect for Buddha's teaching. I learnt the 'Five Precepts', the most important basic rules of Buddhism, at an early age. The first of those was not to kill, and have respect for all life. The Buddha said, "Life is precious to all beings. They have the right to live the same as we do." We should respect all life and not kill anything. Killing ants and mosquitoes is also breaking this precept. We should have an attitude of loving-kindness towards all beings, wishing them to be happy and free from harm.

Although I cannot boast that I am one of the most religious and decent of people, I try my best to follow the Five Precepts, most of all not to kill. So why then was I so jubilant, why did I jump up and down in celebration over a horrible murder case?

I have been angry. I have been extremely angry since September 2007. When all the protests and the crackdown of them happening I was unhappy, sad, frightened for people who would be tortured and killed. Eventually my feelings have changed. Everywhere I turned I saw reports of bullies, torturing and killings that junta is doing to innocent and vulnerable civilians in Burma.

I was angry that 400 children die everyday in Burma, either through hunger or diseases related to malnourishment.

I was angry that a monk was tortured, killed and his body thrown into a river.

I was angry that monasteries were raided at night, monks killed, or locked up in prisons.

I was angry that so many elected politicians are locked up in prisons long-term, and denied access to basic medical treatment.

I was angry that many poor unknown people were locked up in prisons and tortured while their families made to travel many miles to visit them.

I was angry that Nilar Thein is on the run, while her husband is in jail and their baby separated from her.

I was angry that United Nations could do nothing to protect innocent people of Burma.

I was angry that the junta's thugs bully and blackmail local people so that they cannot support the members of National League for Democracy Party, which won the landslide election victory in 1990.

I was angry that Aids (HIV) sufferers are denied treatment in hospitals, the monastery which provided their free accommodation was stripped and sealed off, the monks chased away from the place, and their care manager Phyu Phyu Thin is also on the run, and was unable to be with her dying father or at his funeral.

I was angry that street children have been abducted by the junta's thugs and sold to serve in the military and for the girls become prostitutes.

I was angry that the junta's generals and their sycophants are robbing all the country's natural resources, to stuff their own over-full bank accounts.

I was angry that so many ethnic groups have been wiped out by the junta.

I was angry that human rights abuse and forced labour records and reports are so long and depressing that I was too upset to continue reading.

Every item of news and report that I find about Burma has been nothing but intimidation, bullying, torture and the killing of the people by cowardly junta. I have become unable to feel anything other than cold anger, indignation, outrage at the appalling record of the junta.

The feeling of revenge and some satisfaction therefore seemed quite natural when I read about the killing of one of the junta's thugs.The DVB reported that the man, a member of the USDA of Hlaing Tharyar, one of the poorest and most repressed areas of the capital Rangoon, was notorious for his arrogant and threatening behaviour towards the residents. His head was left on public display by unknown assailants in a primitive display for the losers of the fighting or a war. His headless body found nearby was lacerated all over, each cut reflecting the people’s long pent-up hatred for the junta and its minions.

The fact that neither head nor the mutilated body were hidden but left on public display has sent a very clear and loud message to junta and their thug followers that the people will not, and cannot, forget or forgive their treatment for so many long decades. The chilling nature of the murder must have sent shockwaves across the country - the first clear response indicating that the breaking point of the people may be near.

The repugnant Than Shwe and his shameless group of cowardly generals and their families might be residing in huge heavily-guarded estates in Pyin Manar Nay Pyi Daw, enjoying the wealth they have robbed from the country and giving orders to their thugs on how to repress the public and still keeping the most revolting grins on their faces but even they must have seen the first batch of dark clouds that is now beginning to loom over their heads.

For junta's thugs, who were given a share of power and equipped with weapons to control the public, life has been very easy and pleasant. Apart from intimidating and threatening people with their junta-backed power, and occasional arrests and tortures, life has been easy. On top of the benefits of delegated power and weapons, these men have been well paid, with performance bonuses and rewards, and exclusive access to gadgets like mobile phones and video cameras not available to the public. This has all been icing on a very nourishing cake for those official members of junta's many paramilitary organizations.

The report also stated that, following the chilling murder of one of their number, the teams of junta thugs seem to have been rather quiet. More interestingly, the public found that gone is the hitherto haughty and pompous behaviour, to be replaced by a slightly more considerate attitude. The most obvious outcome, immediately after the murder, has been that the thugs have abruptly abandoned their habit of intimidating and harrassing the general public.

The rewards and bribes they receive from the junta for carrying out the practicalities of repressing the public have been good, especially when they can have real power over the lives of many poor and struggling people. Suddenly they are under threat themselves and have to think about the possible price of their activities to themselves and possibly their relatives? At least locally, their demeanour has changed dramatically in the face of these life- threatening issue of a popular fight-back spreading more widely.

Every action provokes its own reaction. The people of Burma have been suffering for too long. Their suffering and distress have been too great that they have been left with no option but to take the law into their own hands.

Yes, we are Buddhist. And yes, the Lord Buddha told us not to kill. And yet, I applauded the cruel murder. My own reaction has shocked me so I had to decide to give myself some time to reflect. After a sleepless night, thinking through every aspect, I still feel exactly the same. I still strongly believe that the murdered junta thug thoroughly deserved his fate. It seems to be the only way that people of Burma can get some form of justice. The ordinary people of Burma are at war with the cruel bullies, torturers and killers of the junta, and this murder somehow seems a fair response to the decades of abuse and robbery. The fight-back may have begun.

And for my own peace of mind, I decided to record my satisfaction and triumph over this horrible murder to be very honest with myself and others, because if I don't, I will only be breaking another of Buddha's Five Precepts - No Lying.

End.

Preparing For The Worst : To Understand How Bad It Is

7 February 2008
By Goldie Shwe

Burma's opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has sent a message, "Prepare for the worst!", after her meeting with senior members of the National League for Democracy Party on 30 January.

First, the people of Burma need to understand how terrible their common enemy really is. How the Army has become over many decades, a putrifying cancer, draining the life out of the nation it was set up to defend, by intimidation, endemic corruption, and a determination to exclude the people of Burma from any role in governing their country.

Military power has become an addictive drug, the use of which allows them to drain the nation and its people of their resources, and to bank the proceeds. One half of the nations’ income is spent on the military junta; the people of Burma are increasingly seen by the junta as a slave nation, born to work for them. If you understand this, you are already able to understand how difficult making any change is going to be. Our weakest point in the past was not being able to see how bad the enemy was.

We didn't see junta as so bad because they were Burmese. Under the British and Japanese, it was much easier as they were foreigners who looked much different from us. We did not want them to rule our country because we could not believe that they would have our best interests at heart.

Against this background, we were unwilling to believe that the Burmese military, drawn from our very own people, could be that bad, just as a child cannot believe its own parents could hurt him, let alone intimidate, violate and even kill him. We always had naïve belief and hoped that the junta could change and be good and kind to us, because they are just like us - Burmese and Buddhists - after all. How can they possibly be so evil?

The sad truth which has taken too long to believe is that the junta is a group of the most ruthless terrorists, who breed and train thugs to rule the country and they will do anything to protect their ruling power, including killing of the monks.

If you still believe, after the September 2007, that the junta's killing, torturing, bullying and raping of the people of Burma and robbing of the natural resources of the country is still nothing to do with you, then the country will be under the heel of the military junta for another 100 years, with your complicity.

End