Myanmar Update ... 1, blood will soon be shed !

Photos:

1. Orphans we visited 2. Peaceful street scene. 3. Novice monks on alms round

The expected crackdown by the ruling junta has started. Apparently, the regime had used the so -called riot police to fire tear gas and even shot at the protesters. Latest news reports confirmed that at least 4 monks have been killed and hundreds more were brutally beaten up and arrested. The next scenario may even be worse. According to former '88 activists now in exile and other news reports on the internet..........


if the regime decides to use the military, especially the previous battalion that spearheaded the crackdown on the 1988 uprising , then things would be most ominous for the protesters.


This regime has been known to use various devious, evil tactics to provide themselves an excuse to crack down on the monks. How so? In the past, they ordered hundreds of their soldiers to shave off their hair, adorned them with monk's garb, infiltrated these fake monks into the ranks of the protesters with orders that they use violence to create trouble. That gave them the EXCUSE needed to use "live bullets" on the protesters ! More than 3000 were killed in 1988. ( As I've said, all this information I've gleaned from the net. ) Latest news reports leaked from within stated that orders have been issued along similar lines. The regime has ordered hundreds of saffron robes from a factory, for the chosen unit which has been recalled from the on-going battles with the minority rebel groups, in the jungle areas to the north.
So, history may be replicated here.

My observation and experience is that the Burmese people are generally a most peace-loving people. People I met were friendly, cheerful despite living under one of the worst corrupt rulers in the world. Myanmar has just been ranked as the 2nd most CORRUPT country in the world by Transparency International this week.

But the spirit of the people are truly admirable! I salute them!


For over 4 decades, they have been living under a totalitarian regime. While the generals and their cronies live in luxurious homes and enjoy the high life.....the rest of the huge population are mired in poverty and a never-ending struggle to simply survive from day to day.