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Saturday, September 29, 2007

October 4th, Free Burma blogger campaign!

Bloggers worldwide have started a campaign to support the pro-democracy efforts in Burma, which have turned deadlier over the past few days. They are inviting all bloggers, website owners and commenters to participate by not blogging on October 4th. Instead, they propose that all participants post a "Free Burma" banner on their blog/website with the words "Free Burma" underneath the banner. Detailed info and links for banner graphics can be found here and the official Free Burma site here. I encourage everyone to take part. I know I will.

In the meantime, there were demonstrations, of solidarity, in D.C on Friday and Saturday, in front of the Myanmar Embassy, and Kate over at Colombo-Americana's Perspective has some great photos, as does John of This Aint Hell. Lady Vorzheva also talks about the demonstration they had in Spain, and the Putin/Zapatero connection regarding their views on Burma.

It's now estimated that there have been far more killed then reported, but there is no way to know, for sure, as Internet service has been curtailed, and cell phone service has been disrupted. Much of the information, pictures and videos were being transmitted overseas via Internet and cell phone. Kate has some great updates here and here.

A great inside source of information is Abitsu.org (All Burma I.T. Students' Union). They report that General Than Shwe and his family are staying at the Burj Al Arab, in Dubai (U.A.E) a hotel that rates itself as the best hotel in the world. The cheapest rooms for one night in February 2008 are $2,274 per night on one travel website. With your own chauffeur driven Rolls Royce, what a bargain! For more candid photos by guests staying there, click here. Although I can't confirm if, indeed, Than Shwe and others are actually there, I wouldn't be surprised. Isn't this what most despots do, live in the lap of luxury while their own people suffer?! It's no wonder they refuse to give up power. But it makes it all the more foul.

U.S. Campaign for Burma also has some interesting info, including a video by Jim Carrey calling for U.N. action, and a copy of a letter sent to U.N. Secretary Ban Ki, by 25 Hollywood celebs (and yes, including some of our favorite loud mouthed leftists) asking for his personal intervention in securing help for Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi's release.

Whether any of this makes one iota of a difference, at least those of us who participate can feel that we at least did our part.

UPDATE:
In spite of the imposed censorship, Burmese bloggers both there and abroad keep on blogging. According to this blogger, Internet is back on line, so he continues to receive reports from the area. Here's another report re. General Than Shwe claiming he is in a Singapore Hospital.

15 comments:

Stylin said...

Will do,Incog
I am glad there is a forum where we can pledge solidarity.

WomanHonorThyself said...

hiya Incog!..thanks for the info on this!

Anonymous said...

'm so glad to know about this. I posted a couple times on Burma, or Myanmar as they want to call it. This is great news. Count me in. I will check out all the links you provide.

Pat Jenkins said...

rallying the troops of the blogesphere!!!!

Anonymous said...

Incognito: Thanks for the link. It's terrible what's happening there and for me, it's even worse the position of Spanish Government :(
Debbie: Burma is the real name of the country. Myanmar is how the Socialist Military Junta ordered the country should be called. That's why the opposition does not like "Myanmar" at all.

WomanHonorThyself said...

have a great day sweetie!..keep fightin the good fight!

Karen Townsend said...

Thanks for the info about Oct. 4 for bloggers. Another informative post, Incog.

Anonymous said...

thank you incognito for spreading the word. even the little people of blogging can have an impact on the world when we act responsibly in concert.

Incognito said...

FRASY: It's the least we can do... I think it helps to know that the world is in support of their efforts. At least most of it.

WOMAN: You are very welcome.

DEBBIE: Great! The more the merrier. I know China and I'm sure other countries monitor this kind of thing. Who knows if it will help. But...

PAT: Yup.. and you'd be amazed at what we can do. :-)

LV: No hay de que. Gracias por las suyas. And I'm so sorry you have such a putz as Zapatero. We had a great friend in the last one.

KAREN: Thanks Karen... I hope you will join us.

Incognito said...

Thank you Heidianne!... yes, indeed, it's the least we can do.

Ottavio (Otto) Marasco said...

Great initiative I’ll be in on it. October 4th!

Off topic: Am wondering if you heard about the controversy surrounding the Flight 93 (9/11) memorial.

See:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/blog_9_8_05_1045.html

I though it was bizarre.

Incognito said...

Great AI!

No, I haven't seen it, but thanks for the heads up. I shall check it out now.

Dionne said...

Once again outstanding work and research on this issue. Thanks so much for doing these posts!!

Anonymous said...

Great job Incog! FREE Burma!!!

Bush slammed the UN and the rulers of Myanmar in his UN speech last week. The only country that has any influence over Myanmar is China, and they can't and won't push too hard. There is too much Oil & Gas there that they need.

The UN must do something, but they never use military force to fight.
That is a huge problem.

Illegal drug and ruby fortunes are a BIG part of this too.

absurd thought -
God of the Universe wants
complete narco states

criminals in power
loving the corrupt drug war


absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
shoot peaceful protesters

calling for democracy
which you must never allow


absurd thought -
God of the Universe thinks
keep trying communism

you can never KILL too much
pursuing Utopia...


http://free-burma.org/

http://absurdthoughtsaboutgod.blogspot.com/

:)
.

Incognito said...

DEE: Thank you so much.

US: Thanks! Great news about Bush, but actions speak louder than words.. and unfortunately the UN is a useless organization! Again, words and idle threats do nothing, as we have witnessed many a time.
China also is a repressive regime, so it wouldn't behoove them to criticize another repressive government.