From the heart of ordinary citizens

30 September 2007

Recently, I have been on phone calls with friends from Burma. At one time, a group of my friends were stuck in a room in downtown area where the protests were on-going. As they talked to me, they told me emotionally that they could see people being shot down by soldiers, being dragged away, being hit upon by iron-batons. They revealed to me how helpless they felt about seeing all these actions and not being able to help them. They asked me repeatedly: Where are UN forces? Where are international forces?

For many ordinary people in Burma, their only glimpse of hope to stop the military regime's act of atrocities, is the intervention by the international community. They keep praying that UN or international forces will miraculously appear in Yangon where people are being killed and evidence of corpses are being removed by burning them.

As the days go by and more atrocities continue to occur, with their intensity becoming more extreme, my friends in Burma stop asking me the questions about UN forces. I begin to feel their sense of frustration. There they are, innocent group of citizens, who are up against the brutal regime who has far more power than them in terms of arms and capacity. In their (Burmese people) hearts, they know that this is probably their last chance for any form of change in Burma. Afterall, it has been almost 20 years since the last 1988 uprising! In fact, Burma was plunged into many decades of suppression, corruption, and poverty since General Nay Win took over power. For them, it is NOW or NEVER.

Burmese people like me, who are outside of Burma, somewhat feel that sanctions by western countries show a form of support for Burma's freedom and raise international awareness about happenings in Burma. However, for people in Burma, those sanctions do nothing to stop the killings there. I echo their sentiments too.

Why do you think that my fellow Burmese people risked their lives to send out the video footages, pictures to outside world and had phone interviews with foreign media? One simple reason is because they want to convey the information about their situation to international community through the media. We, bloggers, also try to do our part in transferring the information as quickly as possible to the world. Even after knowing and seeing all these happenings (raiding of monastries, torturing of monks, killing of innocent people) in Burma, will the international community still continue to sing the tune of non-intervention and sanctions-policy?

Hence, I sincerely implore to the international community to take some serious action before more damage is done (i.e. more lives are lost).

9 comments:

immortal_tara said...

Thway, please see my blog at:

http://www.sanfranciscolovesburma.blogspot.com

This is an English blog based in San Francisco, CA, USA that is covering the protests in the US in San Francisco. I'm announcing peace rally dates, posting pictures of the events and related local news.

I will link to your blog as well.

Kind Regards.

Robert Rouse said...

I have added you to my blogroll. I live in Fort Wayne, IN, which I'm sure you know, has a large population of displaced Burmese. I attended one of their rallies yesterday and posted video of it at my place.

www.leftofcentrist.com

Cora said...

Dear Thway Ni,

I agree that the international community must do more than impose sanctions.
But you should know that many people here in the Netherlands (and in other countries, I am sure) actively support your struggle for freedom and democracy.
I have visited your country several times and have many Burmese friends in (Mandalay) and outside Burma.
The situation in Burma is currently as frightening as it is hopeful. So now is the time to continue the fight in any way we (all) can!

Ma Ma Khaing (name given to me by my Burmese friends)

ADamiani said...

This can not be your hope.

There will be no international forces sent to liberate Burma from oppression. The world can barely get together to intervene in war or genocide-- almost never because of tyranny, for there are a great many tyrants.

Change can happen. It happened in South Korea, it happened in Taiwan, it happened in Eastern Europe, it happened in the Ukraine, it happened in South Africa. But this kind of change only ever comes from within.

I wish with all my heart that this were a not so, and pray you can find the hope and courage to carry on your noble struggle.

Satchs said...

Thway Ny - I log onto ko htike's site every day and I am horrified by what I am seeing and reading.
Please know that I am praying for you and your people every day. I pray for your strength and safety. We feel so helpless here, so I am doing the only thing that I know to do - continuosly pestering/nagging at government officials that the minimal sanctions are not enough. If anyone knows of how we can help further, please let me know.
Please be safe.

Thway Ni said...

immortal.. thanks for creating the blog for Burma. We will check it out.

robter.. we appreciate you adding us in ur blogroll.

cora (Ma Ma Khaing) .. we r truly grateful for ur support. Btw, nice Burmese name :)

adamiani.. thanks for ur msg. To come from within, there is a huge barrier to overcome also. Afterall, it is the situation of a very huge army with weapons vs unarmed civilians & monks. Though we will keep on fighting for our freedom, we still hope for international community's intervention in order to stop further bloodshed.

Anonymous said...

Thway,

I know how your people feel now...and the level of anger against your military gov...and maybe, level of disappointment to international community...

I lived in Jakarta, and had been in that kind of gov...and when in 1998, the regime stepped down, we finally realized that "We cannot hope others to change our own life"....whatever it takes.

We're all in Indonesia symphatize with your struggle in Burma....we do demonstration in front of Burmese embassy....we spread all information regarding the massacre to anybody....those are the only things that we can do.

Give our regards to our Burmese brothers wherever they are....say sorry to them that we cannot give so much helps.

We wish we could.

Anonymous said...

Very sad, very depressing, I'm sure if we had the resources to stop it we will do.

This afternoon I received an inspirational quote, it says;

GOD is not helping anyone defeat anyone. The only one that can ever defeat any of you is yourself. --- Abraham

As already said on previous posts, "it has to come from within"...

I meditate and send you love, courage and the strength to fight for what YOU want... FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY and PEACE

Anonymous said...

I think it is time to put some more pressure on China. There is a Facebook Group called...

Boycott the Olympic games unless China presses Burma's Generals

www.facebook.com