Burma Update

Here is an update from Congressman Jim Jordan:

On August 15, 2007, the Burmese government canceled fuel subsidies to the Burmese people. Over the course of the following month, growing anxiety over this and other issues led to massive public protests in that country. This "Saffron Revolution", which included thousands of Buddhist monks, was violently put down by the ruling military junta on September 26, 2007, resulting in the deaths of at least several hundreds of innocent people including monks, nuns, a Japanese journalist, and others. The military junta then shut down the internet in an effort to conceal their crimes from the rest of the world.

The United States House of Representatives recently passed a resolution, H.Con.Res.200, "A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress regarding the immediate and unconditional release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the severely deteriorating human rights situation in Burma." This resolution calls on the Burmese government to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Price winner and the democratically elected leader of Burma. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been under house arrest since 1990. The resolution also calls on the government of Burma to begin a democratic dialogue with the opposition, release political prisoners, and calls for the full restoration of democracy. It also calls on the nations of the world to work together on sanctions against the regime and bring those who participated in these atrocities be put to justice.

I supported this resolution, and I will continue to support efforts to end the political turmoil in Burma. I am a firm believer in the power of democracy as a tool to end the suppression of unrepresented people and bring a lasting and secure peace to conflicted regions around the world.

Don't Forget Burma

It seemed like for a while, everyone was agreeing that "we've gotta do something about Burma" and bloggers were posting, especially in early October. But now the blogworld has quieted down quite a bit, but it doesn't seem like much has happened. Back in October, the President and Congress "Increased Pressure on Myanmar" but neither McCain's Saffron Revolution Support Act of 2007 nor the Block Burmese JADE resolution has yet made it to the House or Senate.

Sure, maybe if people aren't talking so much about it, and maybe if you "introduce" legislation concerning it, it'll make your constituants (who weren't really worried about people on the other side of the world in the first place) feel better about you.

Of course, I'm not sure that they really want to do anything about it anyway. We've got a nationally weak stomach for Southeast Asia.

Free Burma

Today, please stand in solidarity for those who are not being allowed to speak. We lift up Burma (Myanmar) in our prayers together. Please do not ignore those whose voices are being silenced.

From the Voice of the Martyrs:

Pray for Christians being affected by the continued unrest in Myanmar. The
government is targeting anyone with influence, and churches have not been
spared. VOM contacts report, "Churches cannot meet. We are quietly
meetingin small groups of no more than five to pray for our country. China
reports five people have been killed, the BBC is saying about 10 have been
killed, but our people have seen hundreds of bodies and many more filling the
hospitals." Pray for the protection and safety of Christians in
Myanmar. Pray the Holy Spirit will convict the hearts of the government
officials and that the testimony of believers will draw others into fellowship
with Jesus Christ. Psalm 27:1; Joshua 1:9

Free Burma



I don't know if you've kept up on what's happening on the other side of the globe, but if you haven't, things aren't good. I have been keeping up with the news via Derek's blog, but there are a bunch of other blogs about Burma you can peruse to get more news.

The world isn't as large as it used to be, and we can do something. I quote Derek:

A mere picture or logo stamped on your blog or myspace or Facebook or
wherever may not seem like much, but it sends a message. It sends a message to
those in power and those sympathetic to them that while the actions they have
taken may have snuck under the collective eye of the world's media 10-20 years
ago (and it did), they have no hope of achieving that same kind of blackout in
this Digital Age.