Live Riot blog from Burma with Pictures

Live Riot blog from Burma with Pictures!

ko-htike.blogspot.com

Wednesday, 26 September 2007

I am a Singaporean working in Myanmar for the past 11 years.
I was on my way to office( near Thuwana area) at around 4 to 4.30pm when the riot police block the road near "Super one, ILBC area". I stop my car with my wife and walk out. suddenly riot police and soldiers drove the truck around the corner and start firing shots at the crowd. we quickly ran to the side and squat down near the wall.
The soldiers came down and start to shoot at us. I was shot twice but i did not know what hit me. My both leg were bruised. the soldiers and police kicked us and the rest of the crowds into the drain and shouted that they would kill us if we look at them.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 27-9-2007 by SkepticOverlord]

I do believe this blog site deserves its own thread, considering the impact it will make on the brave soul who is sending out the information . I would suggest we watch how this blog continues, considering the impact of this demonstration/riot.

There is also a real time chat box to the right to watch the wire.

The pictures have already been updated several times. The situation appears to be getting worse. There are thousands of protesters.
This blog really strikes it home for me. I see a real situation these people are helpless in. I can see the look of escalation in the eyes of the people. I am just wondering how long until this happens in our USA? These people seem much more active fighting for the freedoms we all deserve. People are dying for freedom now .How small are we, but still have the power to reach the World with our fate in pictures, and with our voice. We can now document our life on the front line, outside the main media in real time. Amazing.

What has happened to people who have stood up, and posted sensitive data from War events? Is there attention enough to spare them when the hype dies down, or do they get punished? is bravery forgiven in Dictatorships?Is it respected?I am sure it is worth the sacrifice to save freedom.

I see myself in all of them, its really me out there.
DWT




ko-htike.blogspot.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

















[edit on 26-9-2007 by dntwastetime]

There is English on the site now, I will give you a quote from the blog, I do not think we can get any more accurate depiction of the scene than this blog. This will be a good example of what happenes to bloggers in crisis areas. The pictures are getting worse as the day rolls on.
DWT

text link to ko-htike.blogspot.com...




[edit on 26-9-2007 by dntwastetime]

thank you for this info dntwastetime. i am keeping a watch on the site. the english translation helps greatly. the cbox messages have been interesting though there do appear to be a few distracters in there trying to cause trouble.

it isn't just the monks protesting now and the pictures show thousands of ordinary people have been out on the streets also. its sites like this one that make you realise what a valuable tool the internet can be.

It's amazing to watch how passionate people can be. It's also inspiring to see them take to the streets in the face of stupid dictatorship rules like no gathering of 5 or more people. I wish them well and hope they get the change they want in their system.

Good points above. Thank you for your input. I just want to add, If I do not watch these people, and support them in any way I can, Who then will support me in my struggle when it happens?

It is all about effort, even if its just a post to show my support.The post is noted and all things are consideed when evaluating the whole scene. I could save lives by giving attention in the right place, this saves my life, because I am giving it to myself.
I do believe putting your good power into helping others is returned to you when the time is needed.
There are those watching from above the battlefield.
DWT



[edit on 26-9-2007 by dntwastetime]

one of the posters on the cbox is reporting that the phone lines in myanmar are being cut. thats not good news

several others are saying the family of the military leader are in singapore and naming the address(es). others are wanting the details so they can 'help out'

how sad is it there are so many idiots posting useless, senseless drivel in that cbox when so many lives could be a stake. or its being done to disrupt any useful information being put in there because they know the world is watching.

I am worried about how the pictures do show clearly the faces of some of the protestors, to be identified by the military and targeted, but on the other hand, look it at this way. These people desire freedom, and they know it's a risk, it's all or nothing. Either they risk identifying themselves or they stay at home cowering.

They are truly brave people.


The reports that are coming out, of the military firing wildly, could be seen as desperation, or not caring less for killing people.


Another thing I am worried about is that one photo in the blog shows one man appearing to be led away by two others either side.


This could be just two protestors helping a third to safety, but it could also be two plain clothed policemen taking a protestor away.


I've seen and heard of this in similar situations. Plain clothes secret police infiltrate the crowd, and start snatching people away unnoticed throughout the day.


Very sinister if this is what is happening here.


On the casualty front, I've heard between 1 to 5 Monks have been killed...


I've also heard rumours that 'The Lady' has been taken from her home to a prison, possibly Sing-Sing, which was used by the Japanese during WW2.

[edit on 26-9-2007 by Regensturm]

reply to post by dntwastetime


is it a riot going on or just the police starting to enforce on the monks?

sad that people are treated that way, people in numbers will always succeed, i think it just takes strong will and belief in what you are doing

The power of freedom is with them. Positive power always wins over negative. From my eyes It is all a test to see how brave we are in the face of evil, and death. How peaceful can you remain inside?
Like I said, the powers above the field will hold the brave close to their heart no matter what happens in the worldly experiance.
What can we do???
D



[edit on 26-9-2007 by dntwastetime]

I just don't get it.

Why attack and kill peaceful protesters? This is really sad.


Another link from the BBC.

Burma protesters defy crackdown

This is very powerful. I would like to urge ALL to use this website to support the patriots of Burma, I just sent the blogger an email reading:

"You don't know me, I've found your blog thru the forum www.abovetopsecret.com. I greatly admire what the Burmese people are doing. The whole world supports the patriots of Burma, be brave and don't give up, your struggle will pay off!"

reply to post by dntwastetime


Given the ground situation I wouldn't be surprised if India decided to act militarily in Burma. I'm very serious about this. The Chinese already built a port in Pakistan, and now they are trying to build one in Burma. Were I the Indian government I would use this opportunity to liberate the people of Burma and make sure the Chinese don't build that second port there.
- - -
One photograph in particular shows lay people marching like a human chain alongside the monks, and that photo crystalised for me the Burmese love and honour for their monks. It strikes a deeply moving chord in me, and it reminds me of all the clergy marching with the people during the 1960's in the USA in the South.
- - -
China holds the strings on Burma. The threat of not attending the Olympics in China may be the only thing to make the ChiComs wake up and smell the Burmese coffee.

This blog site chatroom is very dramatic, and is constantly feeding information, good and bad.Many people are supporting these burmese civilians.Basically as of now,from what I can see ,It is hitting the fan.

Quaote from Live blog chat:
"killer: pls confirm about 12:45 am ..6 military trucks..3 truck..6 gun shot?i heard monks are getting beat up..pls ygn ppl confirm the news..im going to send this to news agency right now.i just talk to them"

wisher: CNN:United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is to send a special envoy to Myanmar amid reports of several deaths in clashes between security forces and thousands of protesters led by Buddhist mon

Here is the latest yahoo news cast

yahoo story on burma cyber war yahoo link

here is the blog the world is giving there support in realtime.

burma blogger

blogger.com link

here is another link I got watching the chat

wwitv.com...



[edit on 26-9-2007 by dntwastetime]

reply to post by dntwastetime


Thank you for the updates and all of this information. I pray the forces of democracy will rule the day when all is said and done.

Imagine the courage to face such a government! They are an inspiration.

Here is a good link with a video.

metro.co.uk

I find it interesting monks are involved in this.

Tens of thousands of Buddhist monks spearheading Myanmar's biggest anti-government marches in nearly two decades earlier defied orders today from the military junta to stay out of politics.

One monk said: "The protest is not merely for the well-being of people but also for monks struggling for democracy and for people to have an opportunity to determine their own future.

Thanks for the link. It's about time someone sheds some light on Burma. They've been the dark leg of the Golden Triangle for decades. Has anyone heard how they plan to move the whole capital 300KM towards the coast? They are moving it for astrological reasons. Seriously.

It's the North Korea of South East Asia. I wish safety and success to the protesters, and to be fair, it's not really a riot, it's still a peaceful protest, lets hope it stays that way.

Here's some info on moving the capital.

Moving Myanmar Capital

news.sbs.com.au...#

Imagine this scenario: you're on the job in a country where the government is so paranoid and secretive it wont have a bar of independent reporting. It's a country where the locals are petrified at being interviewed and using a secret camera is often the only way you can record what's going on in the place. That was precisely what Ginny Stein faced when she recently sneaked into Burma. Ginny's idea had been to report on Burmese dissidents who've lately begun to speak out despite years of harassment. Along the way, Ginny found herself in that pariah nation's new capital city. It's only been seen by a handful of outsiders and, according to many of the locals, is built on the regime's curious belief in astrology and numerology. A little over the top to be taken seriously?

Unfortunately, not. You can read the full transcript at the link.

reply to post by fingapointa


I can't help but think the government is going to lose-whether it be by overthrow from the protestors or Chinese intervention-they have so badly screwed up their self-appointed task of ruling the country that I don't think anyone supports them aside from themselves.

You might be interested to hear some eyewitness reports that are on the BBC's site.

news.bbc.co.uk...

There are a lot of people in the emergency ward in the hospital and people are dying there. One witness told me that there were three monks that were brought in by a taxi driver and one of the monks died at the table - the other two are in a critical condition. A lot of other people are severely injured. Thian, Rangoon

Unfortunately theres only two outcomes to this really, the government stands down and hands the country over to the people or the government starts killing everyone. A particular problem is the 'army' they have is made up of a lot of young people that have been brainwashed since childhood to believe there doing the right thing, if there told to kill the monks they will likely do it, I hope though that the shear number of people protesting will overwhelm the current regime.

Most of all I hope they succeed, because it will show that anything can be resolved peacefully without violence.

reply to post by Edn


I think what's going to really make the government lose is that if they keep the crackdowns up, civil disobedience and strikes will become widespread, other countries will rightly view Burma as a pariah state and very heavy sanctions will be imposed. The end result will be a Burma that cannot function at all.