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The
2007 Pro-Democracy Uprising in
Burma/Myanmar
The nation of Myanmar (called Burma until the military
government changed the name to Myanmar in 1989), has been
in a state of civil war since shortly after independence
from Britain in 1948. Most of the historical fighting has
involved ethnic rebellions and communist uprisings in the
countryside, but in 1988, a pro-democracy movement
challenged the military dictatorship and was crushed
violently by the army. This is now called the "Four
Eights" or 8888 Uprising. In late 2007, a new, so-far
peaceful anti-government uprising led by Buddhist monks
has been met with violence from government security
forces. The military junta which rules Myanmar/Burma
calls itself the State Peace and Development Council
(SPDC). The commanders of the service branches and of the
regional military commands make up the Council.
It should be noted that the current involvement of the
Buddhist monks in the 2007 protests harkens back to the
long-running resistance to the British conquest and
occupation of Burma in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Many
of the protests against British rule were led by Buddhist
monks, so the current monk-led protests are part of a
tradition of Burmese/Myanmar popular action to unpopular
and repressive regimes.
The current protests have their immediate genesis in a
governement-mandated rise in gasoline prices, which hit
the average citizen hard. The price increases made daily
life for the population more difficult, with the cost of
public transportation increasing, and a subsequent rise
in the prices of necessities such as rice and cooking
oil. It should also be noted that these price increases
came a few months after a video of the opulent wedding
ceremony for the daughter of one of the military
dictators became public. Most Burmese are very poor, and
the extravagance of the leader's family wedding grated on
many people.
On August 19, 2007, about 400 people marched in
protest. The police arrested dozens, but protests
continued in several cities. Keep in mind that the last
major public protests, in 1988, resulted in the military
crushing the protests, with nearly 3,000 dead and
thousands more arrested or driven into exile.
Buddhist monks, respected and honored in this Buddhist
country, became involved in the protests after police
injured several people while breaking up a rally in the
city of Pakokku on September 5.
More protests broke out, with thousands marching in
Rangoon on September 24.
Protests on September 28 were broken up by the
authorities, with soldiers shooting into crowds, killing
at least nine, and perhaps more, according to
witnesses.
The government also cut off the country's internet
connections, making it difficult, though not impossible,
for citizens to send pictures and video of the violence
to the world.
What is China's
role?
Myanmar's only true ally is its northern neighbor,
China, which is also a dictatorship with a history of
crushing peaceful pro-democracy movements. Officially,
China is urging calm, but it is believed that the Chinese
government is privately urging the Myanmar government to
stop the protests.
Chronology:
Aug. 15--Government raises fuel prices
Aug. 19--Several hundred protesters rally in Yangon
(Rangoon)
Aug. 21--Thirteen members of a pro-democracy group,
the "88 Generation Students," are arrested
Sept. 5--Shots fired at monk's protest in Pakokku.
Several people injured
Sept. 6--Buddhist monks hold 20 government officials
hostage and demand an apology for the incident on Sept.
5
Sept. 22--10,000 monks protest in the city of
Mandalay, and opposition leader (and Nobel Peace Prize
winner), Aung San Suu Kyi meets and greets the monks in
Yangon (Rangoon)
Sept. 24--Huge rally led by the monks draws 100,000
people to protest the government
Sept. 25--The military junta imposes a curfew and bans
public gatherings
Sept. 26--Police and troops use tear gas, fire shots,
beat and arrest several monks. Several Buddhist
monasteries are raided by government forces.
Sept. 27--Troops shoot into crowds of protesters,
killing at least nine.
Sept. 28--Troops beat more protesters, swiftly breoke
up street gatherings, occupied influential Buddhist
monasteries and cut public Internet access
Sources and
Links:
- Fuel
price policy explodes in Myanmar
- The
Economic Factors Behind the Myanmar Protests
- Burma
leaders double fuel prices
- UN
envoy warns of Myanmar crisis
- Military
junta threatens monks in Burma
- 100,000
Protesters Flood Streets of Rangoon in "Saffron
Revolution"
- "Nuns
join monks in Burma's Saffron Revolution", Times
Online, 2007-09-24.
- "Has
Washington Found its Iranian Chalabi?", Mother
Jones, October 6, 2006
- Q&A:
Protests in Burma BBC, September 24, 2007
- Monks
lead largest Burma protest BBC, September 24,
2007.
- 20,000
march in Myanmar protest.
- AFP:Democracy
icon Aung San Suu Kyi greets Myanmar monks
- Monks'
protest swells The Bangkok Post, September 23,
2007.
- Nuns
in Burma anti-junta rallies
- 100,000
protest Myanmar junta CNN, September 24,
2007.
- US
to impose new Burma sanctions BBC, September 24,
2007.
- Burmese
military threatens monks
- Dalai
Lama offers support to Myanmar monks
- Myanmar
junta threatens military force Reuters, September
25, 2007.
- Burmese
protesters defy junta's threat of crackdown
- Myanmar
junta sets curfew Reuters, September 25,
2007.
- Myanmar
imposes curfews after mass protests AFP, September
25, 2007.
- Pro-democracy
politician arrested in Myanmar
- Burma
monks march as police act BBC, September 26,
2007.
- Burma
troops charge monks with batons
- Burma
riot police beat back monks BBC, September 26,
2007.
- Over
100,000 people in Rangoon and parts of Burma
protest Mizzima News, September 26, 2007.
- Protesters
in Rangoon have dispersed for the day. Mizzima
News, September 26, 2007.
- Minst
tre munkar dödade i Burma Sveriges Radio,
September 26, 2007.
- Monks
defy warnings to protest in Myanmar International
Herald Tribune, September 26, 2007
- Burmese
junta raids monasteries, arrests over 200 monks
Mizzima News, September 27, 2007.
- "Myanmar
junta raids monasteries, arrests hundreds of
monks", The Globe and Mail, 2007-09-26. Retrieved
on 2007-09-27.
- Reuters. "Myanmar
junta raids monasteries", Reuters, 2007-09-27.
Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
- "Monks
arrested in monastery raids", SKY News,
2007-09-27. Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
Junta
Declares No-go Zones at Buddhist Monasteries The
Irrawaddy, September 28, 2007.
- Insect
spray to be used for crackdown on protesters
Mizzima News, September 27, 2007.
- Burma:
The world watches.
- "70,000
protesters defy Burma troops", guardian.co.uk,
2007-09-27. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
- "Burma
troops issue 'extreme action' ultimatum",
telegraph.co.uk, 2007-09-27.
- "Soldater
dræber ni i Myanmar", Politiken,
2007-09-27. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
- "Japansk
fotograf dræbt i Myanmar", TV2
(Denmark), 2007-09-27. Retrieved on 2007-09-27.
- "???????????????…????????????",
Sankei Sports, 2007-09-28. Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
- "Video
shows Japanese journalist 'being shot
deliberately'", timesonline.co.uk, 2007-09-28.
Retrieved on 2007-09-28.
- Fears
of mounting death toll in Burma Financial Times,
September 28, 2007.
- Security
forces fire on school pupils Democratic Voice of
Burma, September 28, 2007.
- At
least nine dead, 10 injured Mizzima News,
September 27, 2007.
- CPI
condemns Burmese junta Mizzima News, September 27,
2007.
- Letter
'reveals dissent in Burmese army' The Guardian,
September 27, 2007.
- Than
Shwe's family in Laos Mizzima News, September 27,
2007.
- Bush
hits out at 'brutal' BurmaBBC News, September 27,
2007.
- UN
confirms its envoy to be allowed in Myanmar
Inquirer.net, September 27, 2007.
- SMH.com.au
- Burma cuts web access
- Two
Shot in Clash with Troops; People with Cameras Singled
Out The Irrawaddy Sept 28 2007
- Troops
marching to Rangoon Mizzima News, September 28,
2007.
Breaking
News The Irrawaddy, September 28, 2007.
- ‘Coup’
claimed in Rangoon The First Post Newsdesk
special report
- Rangoon:
‘army mutiny’ reported The First
Post Newsdesk special report.
- Burma-Myanmar
Genocide
- New
protests on Rangoon streets BBC News article.
- Burma-Myanmar
Genocide
- Mr.
Gambari arrives in Nay Pi Daw Mizzina News,
September 29, 2007.
- U.N.
envoy flies into Myanmar maelstrom Reuters,
India.
- More
Burma protesters arrested as curfew orders ignored
ABC News Australia
- Over
100,000 people in Rangoon and parts of Burma
protest (Third to last paragraph) Mizzima
News
- Yangon
bloggers outsmart Myanmar censors AFP, September
25, 2007. Burma
cyber-dissidents crack censorship BBC, September
26, 2007
- Burma
'cuts all Internet links' Bangkok Post, September
28, 2007
- Warning
Shots Fired At Protesters Sky News, September 28,
2007
- Faced
with Myanmar protests, China reaffirms
nonintervention Inquierer.net, September 25,
2007.
- World
urges restraint amid Myanmar protestsAFP,
September 25, 2007.
- Pressure
Builds on Myanmar as Protesters Are Shot At
(Update)Bloomberg, September 27, 2007.
- Howard
flags sanctions against BurmaAustralian
Broadcasting Corporation News Online, September 27,
2007
- PM
launches sanctions against juntaSydney Morning
Herald, September 27, 2007.
- Desmond
Tutu vädjar till Burmas ledare Dagens
Nyheter, September 28, 2007.
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