Burma is going through difficult times these days. The protests against hike in fuel prices that first flared up the uprising have now caught international attention and with the increase in focus by the international community on the South Asian country in the last few weeks, the military regime has also increased its ruthlessness on the civilians. So much so that the United Nations has been forced to send an envoy to Burma.
Burma’s ruling military junta was at first quite tolerant towards the thousands of protestors marching along the streets on the country spearheaded by monks but in the last few days, the military has been discerned to be increasing its tough crackdown on the trouble makers. There have been reports of clashes with several civilians getting injured and the UN now has decided to probe into the matter.
UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in Burma on Saturday but the defect is that the Burmese government scheduled his visit. Analysts believe that Mr. Gambari would be given limited access to the region and won’t be allowed to meet pro-democracy figures including the Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who is being held under house arrest.
Monks have been the mainstay of these demonstrations just as they were way back in 1988 when there was a similar democracy uprising. But during that time, the military junta that has been ruling Burma since 1962 brutally crushed the demonstrations. The signs that it has been exhibiting this time around too follow a similar pattern.
But the world has moved much forward since the 1980s. This is the 21st century where international condemnation is not only a mark of shame but can also spell economic doom. The UN presence in Burma should instill some hope into the Burmese people who are starving of democracy. The military junta is frequently accused of not listening to the people’s woes and of taking a dictatorial approach. But Mr. Ibrahim Gambari is there in Burma to ensure that peace and harmony are resurrected in the country.
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Source: Instablogs
