Riot police attacking monks.
Sep. 26th, 2007 07:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baratronThe news from Burma continues to be crap. Now riot police are attacking the monks with gunfire and tear gas. Video.
The Burmese Government's official statement is nauseating to me, as a free person in the Western world. It reads like something from 1984.
The inspiring thing in this is how modern technology is helping to get the news of what's happening to the outside world, despite the appalling state censorship. While less than 1% of the Burmese people have access to the internet, those that do are making use of it. I don't know if you've noticed how many of the photos and videos that have reached mainstream news reports were shot on mobile phone cameras. However, it appears that the military junta are now trying to crack down on this unofficial reporting - bandwidth is being severely restricted and phone lines are being cut. The police are destroying any cameras that they find. Videos that have been emailed to the BBC.
More background information:
Burma's saffron army. Explains why monks command such respect in Burma.
Burma vs Myanmar. Why the country is not known in the US and UK by its official name.
In pictures: Mood darkens.
The Burmese Government's official statement is nauseating to me, as a free person in the Western world. It reads like something from 1984.
The inspiring thing in this is how modern technology is helping to get the news of what's happening to the outside world, despite the appalling state censorship. While less than 1% of the Burmese people have access to the internet, those that do are making use of it. I don't know if you've noticed how many of the photos and videos that have reached mainstream news reports were shot on mobile phone cameras. However, it appears that the military junta are now trying to crack down on this unofficial reporting - bandwidth is being severely restricted and phone lines are being cut. The police are destroying any cameras that they find. Videos that have been emailed to the BBC.
More background information:
Burma's saffron army. Explains why monks command such respect in Burma.
Burma vs Myanmar. Why the country is not known in the US and UK by its official name.
In pictures: Mood darkens.
no subject
Date: 2007-09-26 08:00 pm (UTC)A. Maintaining an Embassy in Rangoon allows us to get a clear picture of what is actually happening on the ground there and manage assistance projects benefiting the Burmese people.
Also some parlimentary questions answered on this page.