Yangon Thu

the torrent of bad news

I think this is a picture of Onlookers staring at the dead bodies in the drain in front of State High School 3, Tar Mway (or Basic Education High School 3)
(Source: Moemaka)

I had to stop reading the news on Burma and switch off my radio and TV for a while because my heart just couldn't take it and I kept crying everytime something really bad happened and the thing is something really bad is happening almost on the hour, every hour today.

Then, we called this monk in Yangon, whom my whole family admire, a monk known to be supportive of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to check on how he was doing. He said to my mom "Da khar ma gyi, we are staring at death in the eyes. They might come for me tonight. I think it is my turn." What am I supposed to say to something like that?

The Burmese people are being very very very brave. Even though many were shot at, beaten, ran over, arrested yesterday, there are still people out there protesting. And Mizzima News is doing a really good job of providing breaking news.

So here is a brief summary of happenings that I heard over the radio and read today (Sept 28).

- Downtown Yangon is mostly closed off. Protesters are playing hide and seek with the soldiers. Protesting and then when the soldiers get ready to shoot, or start shooting then running for their lives.

- The angry protesters are now asking the Military Regime to stand down. (They only wanted peaceful discussions you know and then the soldiers were ordered to shoot to kill and of course, this is what happens)

-The soldiers, riot police, "Swann Arr Shin" (plains clothes policemen) and thugs who've just been sprung from prisons (given shorter sentences, if they agree to hurt innocent protesters) are reported to be beating people to death with clubs (to try to kill them silently). They are trying to reduce the number of shots being heard.

-Witnesses say some hotels were raided by soldiers and police and the guests' cameras and laptops were checked for photographs of the recent events. I'm not sure if they took anything.

- Monasteries are heavily guarded. Some empty monasteries where the monks have all been arrested or driven out of, the soldiers are using as their base.

-When monasteries were raided, the soldiers beat the young novice monks but not as severely as the senior ones and did not arrest the young ones as well. The senior monks were given very harsh treatments, beaten till very bloody and many head monks of monasteries are reported to have been killed.

- It is said that some students from the Medical College and other protesters were seen being ran over by army trucks as they were running away from bullets. (They are doing this in South Okkalapa as well, apparently)

- Curfews have been changed in South Okkapala - from 9PM to 6AM as restricted hours to 6PM to 6AM, as the crowd there is rather relentless in their quest.

- Maung Aye (no.2 in the Army) and his followers are said to be very displeased with Than Shwe (no. 1 in the Army) - they are at odds. (I bet one of them kills the other or they both get killed by another general)

- The army is again reusing the tactics of closing off roads and trapping protesters in between and then shooting at them or running them over. No where to run.

- I'm told the crowds of protesters are now pissed and were gathering near Sule with sticks and stones, calling out to Swann Arr Shin (plains clothes) to come out and fight. I'm not sure how many of them are still alive.

- World Health Organisation wanted to donate medical supplies and was rejected by the government. Mizzima called the General Hospital and they hung up without saying anything. The gates to the Hospitals are said to be closed.

- The only internet provider in Burma is down (Bagan net - owned by Tay Za, great friend of the Generals, Managing Director of Htoo Trading, reported to be an arms dealer - amongst other dealings and businesses, married to one of Than Shwe's daughters - also rumoured to have another Burmese wife and a Thai wife prior to hitching with a Than Shwe).

- The profiles of Tay Za's sons on friendster are inundated with threats of how karma is going to get them, name calling, cussing and "how can you live ostentatious lifestyle on people's money, while the peaceful ones suffer" comments.

- The family members of Than Shwe are reported to be taking refuge in Laos. Many Burmese living in Singapore sent me texts saying they saw some of Than Shwe's family members in Singapore - in the western part and also at the Bagan Air office in Singapore (I cannot confirm if this is true).

- There are no official figures on how many were killed today but an eye witness said on the radio that he saw 2 dead bodies in the drains in front of State High School 3 Tar Mway.

- Eye witnesses all over the country claim that the death toll is probably in hundreds by now as the soldiers and riot police are vicious in their shootings and beating.

-The army did declare the number of monks killed to be 9, which is probably a lie.

-Light Battalion 66 and 77 are said to be controlling Yangon while many other battalions join them.

- Civil servants were made to go to work today, even though things are crazy.

- Channel News Asia aired a documentary on "The Saffron robes revolution". Surprisingly, a few Burmese young people interviewed were sons and daughters of ex-generals. They are on the people's side, which is a good thing.

- A spokesperson for National League of Democracy claimed that he doesn't believe that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been taken to Insein Prison. He has no contact with her and no sources or confirmation to prove this but he simply thinks this is something they won't do. I'm not sure why he is so trusting of the Junta.

The Junta is doing all these atrocious misdeeds on the eve of Mr. Ibrahim Gambari's arrival to Myanmar. How will Mr. Ibrahim Gambari's presence change things in Myanmar? Will they let the people protest without killing them tomorrow? How will the UN envoy persuade these unreasonable creatures?

I only have questions and no answers. Love and metta to all the people protesting in Burma. Be safe. Stay Strong. I hope the soldiers see the light and turn on the generals and stop following their orders.