After 45 years of severe op
pression, where basic rights
are routinely denied and daily survival is an enormous hardship, more than one million people in Burma flocked to the streets in peaceful protests in August and September. While the junta tried to down play the demonstrations as isolated incidents, the fact that there were 273 street protests, in 66 cities across all states and divisions proved that these were not just one-off events.
Images of the protests, many of which were led by Buddhist monks, were quickly disseminated around the world, enabling the international community to see the sheer frustration and anger on the people’s faces. The faces of the protestors represented an entire population demanding change; to be heard and a chance at a future.
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia states to the UN that as a response to decades of oppression the demonstrations were "justified"
As the first large protests in Burma since 1988 when the junta brutally crushed the uprising killing an estimated 3,000 and forcing tens of thousands others to flee the country, the world waited for the general’s reaction, fearful of another bloody crackdown. And tragically that is what happened. Despite calls from the international community, including ASEAN and China, for restraint, the ruling military junta, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), reacted with beating, arresting and shooting protestors.
The international outcry to the SPDC’s use of violence against the protests was some of the strongest criticisms against the regime to date. The foreign minister of Malaysia stated to the UN that as a response to decades of oppression the demonstrations were “justified”. The Philippines Senate adopted a resolution calling for ASEAN, the EU and the UNSC to end Burma’s junta’s violent repression of the people. In a statement, as ASEAN, the 10-nation association’s Foreign Ministers expressed their “revulsion” to the Myanmar Foreign Minister about the violent suppression of the protestors.
The EU and USA strengthened sanctions, and Australia tightened visa restrictions and said they would look at targeted sanctions against Burma. The UN Security Council issued its first formal statement on Burma “strongly” deploring the use of violence against protestors and called for a peaceful resolution to the situation. The statement was supported by China and Russia who had previously vetoed a UNSC resolution on Burma earlier this year.
Following the crackdown Mr Ibrahim Gambari, UN special envoy to Burma, visited Burma and Professor Paulo Pinherio, Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Myanmar/Burma, was invited to visit the country for the first time in four years. Sadly, only time will tell if Mr Gambari’s visit had any genuine impact on the regime.
Possibly, more importantly, the protests have brought together a nation. Ethnic tensions have always been high between the minority groups and the Burman majority. Ethnic communities in Burma have lived with the Burmese military’s regime’s brutal tactics for the past 45 years. The outrage at the attacks on peaceful protestors, especially monks, was felt by all members of Burmese society. Ethnic groups offered their solidarity, for example through statements, and called for peace, justice and freedom for everyone in Burma.
What will happen next is the question. Some analysts predict that the protests were only the beginning of uprising, with more to come in the future. Throughout 1988 there were many protests from March until they calumniated in the August 8th demonstration five months later. What we do know is that the 2007 uprising was a moment in history where people en mass stood up to junta and some paid for their bravery with their lives and others their freedom. Their voices were heard around the world and for a brief moment they were not alone - their struggle for democracy and human rights touched all of us. Despite the deployment soldiers, the quietening of the streets and the media silence; a midst of hope has settled on the Burma situation. Are we seeing the beginning of the end for the junta? And are we ready to act, with actions not words that will genuinely help and support the people of Burma today? Or are we watching a new dawn of oppression?
To go to the other articles published in the October 2007 BI Newsletter click on the links below:
The Foreign Minister of Malaysia states to the UN that as a response to decades of oppression the demonstrations were "justified"
