Myanmar Internet Shut Down, But We Can Still Watch From Space
from the it's-a-small-world dept
As previously reported, the pro-democracy rallies in Myanmar have been closely covered by regular reports coming out of the embattled nation via cellphone, email and even YouTube. The government's attempts to try and pollute the web with their own propaganda must not have worked, since on Friday morning, the government shut off Internet access, cut phone lines and confiscated mobile phones in an attempt to control the outflow of information about the rallies. Though this may have slowed reports, it's very difficult for the government to completely clamp down, so some news reports are still getting out through mobile phones and a few satellite uplinks to the Internet. Even if the junta is able to completely shut things down, events can still be monitored from satellites, which are providing evidence of potential human rights abuses conducted by the government. Now that its next actions are being played out under a vigilant global eye, hopefully Myanmar officials will make the right choices in the coming days.
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If only...
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Please try to be more educated. Burma is actually rich in resources, including oil, and I wouldn't be surprised if we do send military over there soon. The reason we aren't there already is most likely more political, sadly for the people there. It seems like recently the country has been getting more polar about issues, and it's blinding our country. I don't consider myself liberal or conservative per say, but do care about our country, enough to get deployed in the next month as infantry in the USMC. It would be nice to know that the people I am risking my life and the lives of my men appreciate that, and think about where we are being sent instead of making comments to spur political division. Wouldn't a "I think we should send help over there to liberate the country" been more effective than your snide remark, implying Iraq is a worthless fight and the only reason we are there is because of oil?
-Michael
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As a person serving to defend our our nation you have my utmost respect for doing something I don't think I ever could and not for political reason but because I don't know how I would react in the "kill or be killed" situation a person in the military may face.
I agree that politics are blinding almost every facet of our country these days but simply putting our heads in the sand about it won't make the political confusion go away.
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"your a stupid liberal idiot."-Bob
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Danny is probably right but ... you're illiterate because "you're" is a contaction of "you are" and it is not spelt "your" which is an adjective. This is why most universities insist that students in technical studies take an English course in each of their first two years. Unfortunately as "your" is a real word, your spell checker (if you use one) will not help you.
Think before you write nonesense.
Richard
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nice admonition. since when did YOUR become an adjective? lol. contaction OR contraction?
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The reason there's any crisis in Burma is because the "government" there is self-serving--destroying their own citizens to maintain comfortable control in the face of a people demanding freedom. I can't quite agree that selfishness here is the reason we're not helping Burma...it's just too early to tell yet. From a political perspective, this whole thing just started to happen and we all know how long it takes a government to make a decision to act--or not act... PLUS, we have to weed through the media slant that feeds portions of truth to the public--that's not just an American problem--the BBC does the same thing. It's tough to get a true, rounded perspective unless you really dig.
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Again a republican has proven that they only produce nonsense. Try debating the issue next time.
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However, I do believe that liberalism today is not what it was 30 years ago in this nation--or globally. Today, liberalism closely resembles Marxism and will quietly destroy our nation's foundation through media driven ideology manipulation. Don't get me wrong--I'm not a republican either. They have issues too.
I love our nation and having said what I did--do still respect your perspective. Later Days!
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Burma
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wow
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Re: wow
Come back and try to have a discussion about someone being mistreated when you aren't being hypocritical. "Wah OMG these people in a country I can't locate on the map are being mistreated!"..."Shut up I don't care about the stupid bums and their families on the street, these people need help!"
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Sake
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two initials....
but sadly, it will/would end up being polluted by "politics"
from all sides
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UN action? lol
It's like a 750 pound fat guy getting off the couch, it's just not gonna happen. Wait for the UN to do anything and most of the population will be dead.
Oh wait, maybe the UN soldiers can move in and rape the women and children.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6195830.stm
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Yeah, we need out of the UN.
We also need to make the Federal Reserve truly part of our government.
We need to recall all our troops from all foreign soil, and stay out of foreign affairs altogether.
As for Burma, the ppl will have to see evil for evil and rally what few good souls their are, and defeat it.
If you are not willing to fight for it, your not gonna fight to keep it, so its not practical for the US to foot the bill for every nation in the world that is corrupt when we are corrupt ourselves.
Ron Paul 2008
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Re: Re:
Unfortunately here's the reality: the people have a few swords and slingshots, the soldiers have riot gear and automatic weapons. Care to wager who wins? For a clue, reread what happened there in 1988.
As for the "we are corrupt ourselves" cop-out: Turning a blind eye while people suffer and die is the worst form of corruption.
The citizens of Burma are willing to fight and die (as we have seen already) for their freedom. But they need help if they are to have any chance of succeeding in bringing democracy to their country. Unfortunately, the few nations with enough economic clout in Burma to enact change (China, Thailand, maybe India) are alarmingly silent. The rest of the world is unwilling to do anything more than talk. (We've seen the success that special UN envoy had, right?)
So if not us, then who should help these people? And when... should we forever pretend these people don't exist or don't deserve basic human rights? How many need to die before we as a civilized society demand something be done? 3,000? They passed that number way back in 1988. (Hmm... 3,000 people dead. Remember how we reacted a few years back when 3,000 people were killed on American soil? Oh well, I guess part of our "corruption" is that we regard certain people's lives as more important than others.)
Bah, the world is hip-deep full of cowards these days.
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Myanmar Internet Access
The article does provide detail - ISPs are interdicted, but not private organizations. But then the article quotes the US Charge' D'affairs in Yangoon to back up the statement, but his confirmation is so weak that it isn't one at all.
When you actually know what is going on, is a good time to comment on something, not before.
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Myanmar Internet Shut Down
I read that President Bush is firing more sanctions against them.
But I have always believed that sanctions are stupid because they punish the victims, the citizens not the government.
No matter how many sanctions that you throw at any government, it would always manage to get whatever it needs one way or the other.
This was proven during Saddam's regime. All the sanctions against his government punished the Iraqi's citizens and millions of them suffered and starved to death, while Saddam had billions of dollars and was able to get whatever he needed, including WMD (which he later shipped and hid in Syria)
While all this is going on in Myanmar, I am yet to read about any response from UN.
This is UN's job and yet nobody hears anything from them.
If UN is no longer capable of doing its job, I suggest that it be canned.
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What next?
Situations like Iraq, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Myanmar where the UN has failed are indeed grave problems for international relations. In the west, we should be demanding more from our diplomats.
Who is going to proceed with tribunals and organise elections? Military coups in Pacific Islands occur every few years, but limited success in places like East Timor can give hope.
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Two things...
Second, Burma does actually have lots of natural resources. There are major deposits of offshore natural gas, and maybe some oil too. Why do you think China and India are so buddy-buddy with the junta right now? They have growing energy demands, and the junta are exploiting Burma's resources for the benefit of China and India. This is why China blocked the UN Security Council from taking any serious action.
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Nasty Business
Officially, the government (The Generals) runs the internet. You pay a fortune in $US to get a username, and you log onto a government server to read all emails etc. Same principle for a mobile, pay a fortune and get 1 mobile, and have all calls monitored.
Meanwhile, no cars can be imported, except by the Generals, so most vehicles are ancient. petrol / diesel is rationed to something like 6 gallons a week per household.
All this from a colleague who grew up and still lives in Burma, but travels frequently because of his work.
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nothing better than
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Also in Australia we refer to the country as Burma
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People have to liberate themselves. If the people that are liberating themselves ask for help, then that's when the UN can help out.
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While the Burmese were being beaten, rounded up, and shot in the streets, the UN "urged restraint". That helped "bunches". And after the majority of the protests had already been crushed, they finally decided to send a "special envoy"... who couldn't even get in the door to speak to the generals.
The military junta don't care anything about the UN. They know the same thing that everyone else in the world knows: the United Nations hasn't lifted a finger in 40 years against them, it didn't do anything in 1988, and it won't act now.
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China's Vassal
Maybe China will treat this as a window of opportunity to invade... I mean, liberate Burma?
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Re: China's Vassal
The people in Burma would hardly be worse off if China did take over. China's government is practically benevolent next to the military junta ruling Burma right now.
That being said, the US seems to be resolute in doing nothing more than enforcing yet more meaningless sanctions and letting the UN handle the situation. And we all know how effective that will be.
In any case, most of the protests have already been disrupted, the monks are scattered, thousands have been arrested (most of whom, you can be sure, will never be seen again), many people have already died (we'll never know how many for sure), and the people still suffer. 1988 all over again.
By this time next week, most people will probably have forgotten the whole thing. And we'll still be trying to force Iraq kicking and screaming into a democracy which the peaceful citizens of Burma are begging (and dying) for.
What a world...
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Thread cleanup on aisle #6?
With all the flaming, name-calling, and debates about spelling and grammar, it's getting kind of hard to find posts that have anything to do with the topic.
And before anyone starts, of course that means this post is off-topic, too. I won't cry when it is deleted as well. :)
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Your is a pronoun, testicle breath.
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Who cares?
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THIS IS ABOUT BURMA! NOT WHAT YOU THINK THE US WOULD DO!
Now get on topic or GTFO.
/endrant
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There are only three (3) comments for this article that aren't PAINFULLY RETARDED!!!
Good job people!
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Continued
If we can't sort out our personal problems, then when it comes to others problems we may seem ignorant...... 1 step at a time. A good banter is useful but mindless bickering isn't going to stop troops from continuing till repression finds its opposite, and i don't think that the government would like that....... Free thinking.........
It may make them individual, but every good plan can backfire..... or to say there is a good side to the bad and vice versa..... Hasn't the chinese government been repressing monks for years? was it tibet? freedom fighters none the less... Any1 know why every1 is tight pocketed and insecure.....?
Do you have a spare dollar to feed a child thatwould have not of seen the food from that dollar, had you not have given it?
we can make a difference we just need open minds that are ready to find out how... the more you and your friends learn of life and the more you share what you have with others, the more you will get out of life....... it isn't as grim as most people see it. Its not much of a sacrifice if every1 was in the same boat. society is getting stronger yet we still have the same pains that we suffered years ago.
Lets leave a better tomorrow for our children and help the children of today to get by. think about how you would feel being lost in that situation and a fountain springs and you are not wholly sure where it came from but life seems like its going to get better. You can make that happen for someone like yourself. All we have to do is simply understand our dreams/goals and Do something about it.
although we already pay taxes, that are supposed to be for schools, education, "Government Departments"(Army, Navy etc.) road maintainace and public transport, etc. not every country has this and we should be aware that others are feeling repressed. Greedy politicians never make it in democratic rule, yet they do seem to thrive in most countries where they are classed as "3rd world"...
anyway, lets have a more peaceful tomorrow,
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One real good thing here is seeing what the leaders are doing brought to light. Few years ago if Government's didn't want to deal with it, they would try to keep it out of the media, or you would hear about it on short news items, not really explaining what all was going on.
But now, the crimes the government is committing against the people can be seen in full light. I too would like to see a quick 'fix' for this problem, but sometimes - I think problems need to be resolved from within - you can't also go nosing into your neighbor's business.
But there's no reason at all the world should trade with this oppressive government either.
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Imperialist fangs off Myanmar
by krosty Monday, Oct. 01, 2007 at 9:45 PM
http://nacazai. org/VictorytoMyanmar07.html
North American Committee Against Zionism and Imperialism (NACAZAI)
For the Decisive Victory of Myanmar against Imperialism and the Defense of her Ethnic Character and Territorial Independence!
--- Statement of the North American Committee Against Zionism and Imperialism (NACAZAI)
On the occasion of on-going disruptions against the peace and security of Myanmar, orchestrated by the global imperialists and carried out by traitors to the nation, the North American Committee Against Zionism and Imperialism (NACAZAI) declares its total solidarity with Myanmar and her leadership against internal and external enemies of people.
The leading "dissident" of Myanmar, San Aung Suu Kyi, is little more than a puppet of western imperialism and cosmopolitan death. She has been praised by such mouthpieces as US President Bush, and seeks the goal of a liberal western-oriented Myanmar assimilated into the "global community".
One finds in these committees to "Free Burma" a blatant affinity for liberalism, and demands that US and western imperialist countries intervene politically and militarily in order to "save" them. They constitute a toilet bowl of western intellectuals and those of Myanmar's compatriots who posses a deep alienation with the dynamic self-pride of their people's culture.
(And They Are owned by Jewish Billionare George Soros and Promoted by his Move On, Avazza and The International Crisis group)
The people of Myanmar are under the radar guns of the enemy, aside from geo-political reasons and issues of wealth from national resources and the illicit drug trade which the regime has squashed, primarily because they are a proud nationalistic people deeply unsuited to globalism. As part of the international conspiracy of the enemies of nations, Myanmar is sought for "regime change" so to as to destroy the conscious racial identity of Myanmar, her nationalistic and patriotic outlook, her strong family structure, the fanatical love of Buddhism as expressed by her peasant classes, and the capacity of Myanmar to defeat an imperialist invasion with the twelfth largest military in the world.
Hence, regardless of any legitimate need for the transformation of social relations in Myanmar and emancipation of her worker and peasant classes, the overwhelmingly primary contradiction is between the Myanmar nation and the forces of imperialist subjugation and eternal death from national nihilism.
We ruthlessly condemn all measures of sanctions and embargoes directed against Myanmar, and reject the globalist conspiracy to isolate her politically from the friendship of nations. Furthermore, we affirm that all progressive and revolutionary forces of the world should defend the right of Myanmar to assert the sovereignty of her political and territorial independence.
The overwhelmingly greatest enemy of Myanmar is not any regime, past or present, but US and Western European imperialism, and those attached to it.
Victory to Myanmar in the anti-imperialist showdown! Down with the enemies of a world made of nations!
Why the sudden interest in Burma?
Stop The US Zionist, Imperialist, Jewish Billioniares War On China and China's "Weapons of Mass Production"
So why, after 45 years of ignoring the military junta's rule in Burma, does our media suddenly focus so intensely on the streets of Yangon? The answer is simple. China has been finalising plans for a pipeline "to connect Burma's deep-water port of Sittwe to the city of Kunming in the landlocked Yunnan province of southwestern China." This would effectively circumvent the Empire's stranglehold on oil shipments to East Asia, an issue of massive geostrategic importance.”
China Approves Oil Pipeline to Burma:
"China wants to build the pipeline to reduce its dependence on oil tankers traveling through the Strait of Malacca with shipments of crude oil from the Middle East and Africa."
http://www.voanews.com/burmese/archive/2006-04/2006-04-17-voa5.cfm
“distraction from the quagmire in ME and Iran. Whenever these guys talk about human rights in some country its almost always a distraction and psychological preparation of masses for the next war
“…And by getting rid of the current regime, Burma will become integrated into the international banking system, which will keep the Burmese enslaved.
"International oil and international banking. QRS suspects that the closer you look at these two, the more they are revealed to be one and the same monster. “
“In the drug trade, it's all about monopoly.”
“Burma/Myanmar has very large reserves of Gas that China wants and the Zionist US doesn't want it to have for cheap - and so far they've resisted financial infiltration by the moneychangers. Both these factors among others (Drugs, Oil) are good enough reasons for the zionized US government to get embroiled. There is one thing that we can all agree on, however - it's NOT a humanitarian cause. The fascination with Burma/Myanmar is about power, greed, and most importantly CONTROL.”
“ If Move On (and their new front group Avaaz) were an anti-war group they would have a petition to stop the US/Ethiopian occupation of south Somalia - where this Washington Post article admits the Ethiopian (US-proxy) troops have killed 1000 people in "recent weeks" - instead of having an imperialist pro-war petition against Myanmar where all they can come up with is that the the Myanmar government allegedly shot 9 demonstrators. The "israeli" zionists, funded by our taxes, kill more Palestinians than that every week in Gaza. I don't see any petitions for Palestine from Move On.
Note that U.S. assistant secretary of state Jendayi Frazer (who is mentioned in this article as having gone to Mogadishu Somalia recently to support the phony puppet government that the Ethiopians/Americans have set up there to try to justify the occupation) also was the Bush administration speaker at the pro-war rally against Sudan in April 2005 in Washington DC. Move On, and Jewish billionaire George Soros's other groups, have played a large role in inciting war against Sudan as well.
The anti-Sudan and anti-Myanmar propaganda are both tactics in imperialist economic warfare against China.”
"China has a trade surpus meaning they have amassed a fortune of currency from selling americans every diposable consumer item thier credit cards can handle. New York billionares want all that money and control over all the chineses currency, trade and economic activity the same way they control the US currency thru the Federal Reserve bank Corporation. The threats to boycott the olympics are just a extortion shake down to extract hugh amounts of cash payoffs in the form of chineses investments in New York money peoples private equity firm IPOs."
With three countries -- Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam -- vying for the off-shore oil booty in seas where maritime borders are contested, the Cheney gangster cartel hopes to achieve a dominant position to grab that oil. (Burma is right next door. On September 16, 2006, the USA supported a military coup that overthrew Thailand's democratically elected government. Ralph Boyce -- U.S. ambassador to Thailand -- now sports a yellow tie to show his support for the royalist-backed coup, since yellow is the color of the monarchy.”
"Burma is huge in the heroin trade Burma and the Golden Triangle was the largest supplier of heroin for a long time. Now it's Afghanistan and Mexico is coming on fast. In the drug trade, it's all about monopoly. Oil will always be 2nd to the drug trade over all in profits. Just so happens oil is high at the moment."
Burma in the news at the moment is about DRUGS! Oil, Drugs, Banking, or Gas ? I suspect it's a little of all.
Here is the US Imperialists/Think tank blue print and talking points for the war on china.
http://www.steel.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Events1&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTE NTID=20061
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Re: Imperialist fangs off Myanmar
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