Access to Web Appears Cut in Myanmar

[Ghost in the Machine]

Access to Web Appears Cut in Myanmar
Published: 9/28/07, 5:25 AM EDT
By MICHAEL CASEY

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Myanmar's government appeared to have cut public Internet access and troops occupied key Buddhist monasteries on Friday, witnesses and diplomats said, in an effort to end demonstrations against the ruling junta.

The moves raised concerns that the military government may be preparing to intensify a crackdown on civilians that has killed at least 10 people in the past two days. The Internet in particular has played a crucial role in getting news and images of the pro-democracy protests to the outside world.

Police also sealed off a Yangon neighborhood after hundreds of protesters defied the government's orders and the violence of previous days to take to the streets. They were quickly dispersed without bloodshed. Elsewhere, witnesses said the streets were mainly quiet.

Southeast Asian envoys were told by Myanmar authorities that a no-go zone had been declared around five key Buddhist monasteries, one diplomat said, raising fears of a repeat of a democratic uprising in 1988, when troops gunned down thousands of peaceful demonstrators and imprisoned the survivors.

Gates were locked and key intersections near monasteries in Yangon and Mandalay were sealed off with barbed wire. There was no sign of monks.

http://home.bellsouth.net/s/editorial.dll?bfromind=2753&eeid=5413442&_sitecat=1505&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=-2&ck=&ch=ne

[JDPriestly]

1. This follows Bush's fingerpointing in his UN speech at "Burma" for holding political prisoners

So much for Bush's attempt to use the UN podium as a bully pulpit. Not only did his comments meet with silence, but the government of Myanamar took revenge on its own citizens.

[regnaD kciN]

2. I don't know...

...if I'd blame this one on Bush. The government there seems quite able and willing to commit atrocities without needing to be prompted by Dim Son.

[rpannier]

3. I live in Asia and you are correct

The government of Myanamar takes its cue from China and India, more the former than the latter.
If they got the word that China would support the government even if it cracked down on the public, then that was the green light.

[JDPriestly]

5. My point is that this was an insult to Bush.

Sort of like sticking their tongue out at Bush. They are protected by their powerful neighbors and there is nothing we can do about their human rights violations. And Bush is so corrupt that we have lost all moral authority in the world. This is a terrible state of affairs. We need a leader of integrity.

[spoony]

4. That is a very bad sign.

The junta's pulling the curtains down so we won't be able to see what they're going to do. :(