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It seemed somehow fitting that news that Myanmar’s opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prizewinner, Aung San Suu Kyi, had been freed from 15 years of house arrest came to us during a screening of “Burma VJ” at Nordox 2010, the annual Nordic Documentary Film Festival in Beijing.
The movie is a moving and powerful account of a team of Burmese “video journalists” covering the startling and tragic events of September 2007.
Armed with tiny video cameras, these VJs documented the rise and fall of days-long protests in Yangon led by monks railing against the military junta and demanding Suu Kyi’s release. Running the highest risks, the journalists filmed everything commando-style (secretly, but sometimes openly) and smuggled the footage out by Internet and couriers so that it could be re-broadcast back into Myanmar.
Watching “Burma VJ” sometimes brought a chill down one’s spine. After the initial – and moving – images of hundreds of saffron-robed monks walking quietly through the city streets with their alms bowls turned upside down in a defiant gesture of protest (a man turns to the camera and shouts, “Film them all, film them all, so many, so many,” is he a supporter or a spy?), the footage then documents the violent conclusion: military troops moving in to contain the demonstrations.
It was hard not to be reminded of similar-looking pictures from 1989, when hundreds of thousands of students and workers had descended on Tiananmen Square. And then again when thousands of People’s Liberation Army troops were trucked in to end the protests decisively and brutally on the night of June 3.
The parallel was not lost on the audience, an even mix of Chinese and westerners. Following the documentary, its director and writer, Anders Østergaard, fielded a number of insistent questions from curious Chinese who wanted to know whether he thought democracy was possible in China; what he thought of the imprisonment of that other Nobel laureate, Liu Xiaobo; whether he believed there was a global trend towards democracy; or what kind of country the Burmese VJs wanted if they were “not satisfied with the military government.”
Perhaps the most telling question, however, was one that recognized nothing has changed in Myanmar despite the documentary’s compelling message and international distribution, buoyed by a clutch of awards and an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary this past year. The military junta still has a firm grip on power. The VJs are no longer active, having been arrested or driven into exile. And, until tonight, Suu Kyi was still under house arrest.
As the film’s narrator, Joshua (the VJs’ team leader), put it before the protests began, “I feel like the world has forgotten us.”
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It's Burma, not "Myanmar", If you want to report the news, learn to call it right!!!
The fight of the human race has been to know how to live as a social animal. in its quest the entire human race has landed up fighting among themselves. To know how to live better is confronted by the fact that to live together all need three essentials - Food / Cloth / House -- In India Called Roti-Kapda-Makaan--in Hindi.
All the natural resouces and labor output are to be shared in an equitable manner to make available three essnetials to all.
Here the fight starts---and since historical times This fight is has turned to be a fight on between the have ones and have nots.
out of This fight emerged four fundamental powers in all societies of the world.
1. Power of Labour. - All human labour produce food and products.
2. Power of Money - All produce of human labour are controlled by power of money by putting a price tag
on each. power of money thus effectively capped an effcetive control on power of labour and its produce.
3. Power of Muscle (physical power) also called power to Rule - The power to rule rose to effective put its control on all other forms of power - power of labour and power of money - this power effectively controlled the regime of exchange of goods and services and its valuation. Like 20 kg Grains for say - working in the fields for 30 days/ or / doing house hold labor work / or / exchange of 5 kg of rice.
This power introduced its own Currency - in the name of The King. and all Goods and services were to transacted using the currency of the king only.
4. power of Mind - (Knowledge) ----- This power escalated over and above all the other three powers and was deterimental in devising the role of society / kingdoms and religions. This power always commanded the respects and status among all the three power sections.
All scholars in history have put in thier head to find some solutions to have equitable human approach to ensure growth of man kind., but four fundamental powers - could never come across and have equitable co-exiatance.
They suggested a form of co-existance - called DEMOCRACY---
The Great Alaxander / Julious Ceaser / French Revolution / Russian Revolution / Struggle of Indian Indpenedence - all are fights of different kinds but the quest is common -- some were fights by Power of Rule, some were power of Labour.
in the present time the two major power fights of going on ---- power of money is expontially growing.
Power of Knowledge is also growing faster than ever before.
interesting fact is that ---- power of money / power of knowledge and power of Rule have joined hands to effceively benefit each other and take a major share of produce / natural resouces / services in thir favor.
Result :--- The three power sections are growing Rich Day by Day and the Fourthone - labor class is getting poorer day by day.
This is a global phenomenon.
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the military Junta in Burma is doing the same as any Power of Rule section would do - with the help of another power of rule - China.
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Madam Suu Kyi is doing what has been done by all representataives of power of Labor in the history. Fight for justice and rightful co-existance. She is sacrificing for the cause of the labor power and the have nots, in 20th century with the rise of fight for independence there were aboundant world leaders from labour power to lead an effective challenge to other forms of power, in 20th century even power of knowldge supported the labour leaders.
in the present century all is at the helm of today's leaders -- all leaders of today belong to power of money (no corporate have ever spoken in favour of major civil struggles of common man ----- power of rule -- except 20th century --- all world leaders give lip service to cause of all civil struggles every where in the world -------- power of Mind -- Mostly of these are busy in thier own ventures into earning fortunes to future of human life and patenting of ideas and new products.
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The future of Madam Suu Kyi is that she is supported by her own strong inner voice and surrounded by power of labour---- this can change the fortunes of Burma - only condition is that she is given some respite by the Military Junta.
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she may write a history in 21st centrury like Gandhu Ji / Nelson Mnadela / Lenin / others wrote in 20th century.
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All the three sets of powers shall remain. of course only under Democracy.
one positive thing happening is that democracy is accepted as a common point among all these three powers.
The only aspect to be looked into is that by way of democratisation of socities no one is allowed to enmass resources in its favour.
I suggest that to make an equiatble human society possible on earth. our joint goal should be :---
1. to have democraic govt. all over.
2. To guarnatee all neccesaties of a human being are met fairly, there should be an upper cap on the wealth and ownership of all human beings individually and in groups (corporations/companies/parties/govts. etc.
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with regards and hope Democracy in Burma.
S K Pandhi
IRLRO-central Working President
Nice thoughts, but your Achilles heel is your statement:
"To guarnatee all neccesaties of a human being are met fairly, there should be an upper cap on the wealth and ownership of all human beings individually and in groups (corporations/companies/parties/govts. etc."
Does this mean each has a right to the necessities without earning it? Many people are naturally lazy, and will demand this even if they do not work or are doing something that is politically correct but practically useless.
Who will decide what the upper cap is and will force it to be administered?
In fact, are these not exactly the stated goals of the current regime in Burma?
We should be very greatful that we live in a democracy for all its shortcomings. But living in a dictatorship ruled by the military would be a total diaster for the populace and in particular, the opposition!
We should be very greatful that we live in a democracy for all its shortcomings. But living in a dictatorship ruled by the military would be a total diaster for the populace and in particular, the opposition!
We should be very greatful to live in a democracy for all its shortcomings. But living in a dictatorship ruled by the military would be a total disaster for the populace and especially the opposition!
The oppressive government of Burma is fear based backed by another fear based regime, China. The question is how can such powers hold their head up with any respect for themselves?
The typical bully ..... puts others down so they may feel large. Tibet and Burma have so much compassion for the carnivorous powers who have eaten their own arms and legs to remain alive. Again I ask, how can such powers be proud of how they repress their own people!?
To steal children to make soldiers is deplorable regardless of country!! Please stop the madness of taking innocent lives and the destruction of future compassionate, strong, spiritual, free generations!
I ask The Burmese government to pray and meditate to open your introspective eye.
With much hope and desire and love for the Burmese People for Democracy and the children who have lost their parents, family, and homes.
Namaste'