Are we in danger of forgetting the saffron revolution?

Posted on November 10, 2007
Filed Under Burma news |

It has been a little over six weeks since we all watched in horror the pictures from Yangon and Mandalay as Burma’s military brutally suppressed peaceful monk led demonstrations.

Many of the early pictures were taken with camera phones belonging to passers by. The absence of international media and tight state control of the local press meant there was very little footage from mainstream media sources. But, thanks to the Internet and online services like YouTube, CNN and other broadcasters were able to report on events virtually as they happened. But, that was a month and a half ago.

Now, all is quiet on the streets of Burma’s two biggest cities and the world has other news demanding its attention: General Musharraf declares martial law in Pakistan, Turkey threatens to invade Iraq and London unveils the designs for the 2012 Olympic stadium.

Meanwhile in Burma, the generals appear to be making nice in the face of international pressure: They’ve allowed UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to visit twice and to meet with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. They’ve also appointed a liaison officer to act as a bridge between Suu Kyi and the junta (a suggestion made by Gambari).

UN human rights rapporteur, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro has been allowed to visit for the first time in four years.

And so, it might appear the junta has realised its mistake and is eager to make amends. However, I spent some time today with a group of Burmese activists who suggested the junta’s actions are little more than ‘lip-service’ to international pressure for change in Burma.

A recent press release from Amnesty International appears to confirm their fears. Amnesty says the junta is still detaining some 700 political prisoners and operating a policy of taking family members and friends as “hostages” to force others to turn themselves in. Several of those detained have died due to severe beatings and others forms of torture.

And, since the crackdown, enforced disappearances have continued, with at least 72 people whose whereabouts the authorities have failed to account for. Furthermore, the junta has failed to accurately account for the number of people killed during the crackdown.

Catherine Baber, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific programme director said: “Widespread arbitrary detentions, hostage taking, beatings and torture in custody and enforced disappearances clearly disprove any claims from the Myanmar Government of returning normality,”

In 1988, when untold thousands died in a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests, the world could almost be forgiven for not doing more. After all, news for the crackdown barely circulated within Burma let alone overseas. The same can not be said this time. We have all seen the brutal nature of the SPDC and we must not forget.

As the activists I met today explained, they are counting on the international community to hold the junta to account.

We must not let them down!

Nov 10 2:30p