Burma Dialogue

"Ultimately it comes down to the resilience, the determination, and the bravery of the people who have been marching."

Those words came from British Ambassador Mark Canning during the protest marches. As the monks' marched past the British Embassy, the crowd jolted in applause, knowing they had the support of the UK. Perhaps the crowd could see Canning peering down on them from the window above.

This was while the mood was still optimistic, hopeful and inspired. The world witnessed bravery with a drawn out tension that only became more sobering as each day passed. The truth of the matter is the chance of the military junta being removed from power is "99.99 percent not going to happen", says David Steinberg, a Burma expert from Georgetown University.

More that 2,000 monks have been imprisoned. The AAPP (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners) is adamantly concerned they are being tortured. At least 6,000 in all have been detained. Many of those who have been released have reported that dozens have been killed while in detention. Ko Win Shwe died during interrogation. He was a member of the NLD, the party of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Surinder Karar Singh (aka Ayea Mying, aka U Pancha) claims to have assisted in organizing the protective barrier of citizens surrounding the monks during the marches. He is rightly enflamed with the U.N., saying

"He (Mr Gambari) plans to come again in November. Whatever the regime told him, he did. While he was there, we were being shot, we were being detained. After he left, there was more rounding up of people."

Hundreds of monks have been isolated in subhuman conditions with no toilets, no water, and were forced to eat rice by hand after it had been thrown to the ground. If any of the young monks referred to himself as a monk, he would be beaten and told, "You are no longer a monk. You are just an ordinary man with a shaven head." It seems the SPDC has established the authority to strip the monks of their legitimacy. At times, the junta makes its aims extremely obvious in just this fashion.

The United Nation Security Council has handed down a "watered down" condemnation of the Burma junta.

"The Security Council calls on the government of Myanmar to take all necessary measures to address the political, economic, humanitarian and human rights issues that are the concern of its people and emphasizes that the future of Burma lies in the hands of all its people."

Some see potential progress in the move by the UNSC because China has signed on to the pact. But in reality the move is non-binding and leaves no lasting threat to China's economic interest in Burma.

The UNSC statement is essentially and ceremoniously nondescript. It is imitating a prelude with no movement to follow. What China and the Burma junta have in common is injustice for the sake of an economy based on immediate gratification.

The City of Beijing was blind to the so called (and over simplified) Saffron Revolution. The state controlled media abstained from broadcasting the peaceful protest marches. Yet the international community is calling on China, the junta's largest supporter, to step in. And it's about time. A stable Burma is fully in China's economic interest. Perhaps the threat of a democratic seize of power is too lucrative for China's regional status to digress from its politically impartial foothold.

The regime in Burma reacted with platitude to the UNSC's statement,

"Myanmar's current situation does not affect regional and international stability," said the statement, attributed to Col. Thant Shin. "However, we deeply regret that the U.N. Security Council has issued a statement contrary to the people's desires."

"The government of Myanmar will continue to implement the seven-step roadmap together with the people," the statement said, referring to the junta's plan that promises a new constitution and an eventual transition to democratic rule."

Veteran activist Aung Zaw believes we will see a second coming of support for Burma thanks to the adroit use of multimedia not available in 8-8-88.

"I have spoken to people [from the Burmese democracy movement] today and though they have said we are down, I think once they get past the initial dejection they will realize how much the world has learned about their suffering through being able to see the dramatic images and digital footage that have been broadcast worldwide."

Some may say - one would hope. I say - we can push for just that.