Support the Yangoon protesters

Click here to support the protesters in Yangoon. Stand with Burma is an initiative from Avaaz, the internet-based campaign group that has done good work in the past. Glad to hear they make it possible for us all to show that we care about the people in Myanmar/Burma.

Avaaz plans to deliver the message to the Security Council members and the UN press corps in New York, and they are making sure the protesters know about the efforts too.

This is one of those moments where the World can make a difference. Together, we are sending a strong message to the UN and warning the generals not to mount a violent crackdown -- it's time for a change. The more people sign, the more powerful the message will be.

BBC Timeline of the protests:

15 Aug: Junta doubles fuel prices, sparking protests
5 Sept: Troops injure several monks at a protest in Pakokku
17 Sept: The junta's failure to apologise for the injuries draws fresh protests by monks
18-21 Sept: Daily marches by monks in Burmese cities gradually gather in size
22 Sept: 1,000 monks march to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon
23 Sept: Up to 20,000 march in Rangoon
24 Sept: New Rangoon march draws at least 50,000 and 24 other towns join in...

(I find it curious that increased fuel prices - some source say the gasolin cost was suddenly 500% higher - could lead to such uprising)

BBC: Burma cyber-dissidents crack censorship

Comments

Anonymous said…
I think the government was subsidizing gas prices to a great extent (natural gas is used to power buses and other transport as well as used for cooking). They are spending a great deal of money on a new capital and as the cost of energy shot up they had to choose and decided to cut the subsidies of gas. This has been devastating to the average citizen who is now faced with costs of transportation that make going to work a losing proposition.

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