Burma monks' protest

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> *Subject: *
> Some Fact from Yangoon
> We just got phone call with our sister living in Yangon about a few hours
> ago.
> We saw on BBC world, saying that 200 monks were arrested. The true picture
> is far worse!!!!!!!!!
> For one instance, the monastery at an obscure neighborhood of Yangon,
> called
> Ngwe Kyar Yan (on Wei-za-yan-tar Road, Yangon) had been raided early this
> morning.
> A troop of lone-tein (riot police comprised of paid thugs) protected by the
> military trucks, raided the monastery with 200 studying monks. They
> systematically ordered all the monks to line up and banged and crushed each
> one's head against the brick wall of the monastery. One by one, the
> peaceful, non resisting monks, fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Then,
> they tore off the red robes and threw them all in the military trucks (like
> rice bags) and took the bodies away.
> The head monk of the monastery, was tied up in the middle of the monastery,
> tortured , bludgeoned, and later died the same day, today. Tens of
> thousands
> of people gathered outside the monastery, warded off by troops with
> bayoneted rifles, unable to help their helpless monks being slaughtered
> inside the monastery. Their every try to forge ahead was met with the
> bayonets.
> When all is done, only 10 out of 200 remained alive, hiding in the
> monastery. Blood stained everywhere on the walls and floors of the
> monastery.
> Please tell your audience of the full extent of the fate of the monks
> please
> please !!!!!!!!!!!!
> 'Arrested' is not enough expression. They have been bludgeoned to death
>
> Dear friends,
>
> *Burma's generals have brought their brutal iron hand down on peaceful
> monks
> and protesters -- but in response, a massive global outcry is gathering
> pace.* The roar of global public opinion is being heard in hundreds of
> protests outside Chinese and Burmese embassies, people round the world
> wearing the monks' color red, and on the internet-- where *our petition has
> exploded to over 200,000 signers in just 72 hours.*
>
> *People power can win this. Burma's powerful sponsor China can halt the
> crackdown*, if it believes that its international reputation and the 2008
> Olympics in Beijing depend on it. To convince the Chinese government and
> other key countries, *Avaaz is launching a major global and Asian ad
> campaign on Wednesday, including full page ads in the Financial Times and
> other newspapers*, that will deliver our message and the number of signers.
> *We need 1 million voices to be the global roar that will get China's
> attention. If every one of us forwards this email to just 20 friends, we'll
> reach our target in the next 72 hours. *Please sign the petition at the
> link
> below -if you haven't already- and forward this email to everyone you care
> about:
>
> http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/t.php
>
> The pressure is working - already, there are signs of splits in the Burmese
> Army, as some soldiers refuse to attack their own people. The brutal top
> General, Than Shwe, has reportedly moved his family out of the country – he
> must fear his rule may crumble.
>
> The Burmese people are showing incredible courage in the face of horror.
> We're broadcasting updates on our effort over the radio into Burma itself –
> telling the people that growing numbers of us stand with them. *Let's do
> everything we can to help them – we have hours, not days, to do it.* Please
> sign the petition and forward this email to at least 20 friends right now.
> Scroll down our petition page for details of times and events to join in
> the
> massive wave of demonstrations happening around the world at Burmese and
> Chinese embassies.
>
>

Dear friends,

European foreign ministers will decide on Burma this Monday - urge your own foreign minister to back targeted sanctions and incentives!


Send Your Message
This Monday, October 15, the foreign ministers of the 27 European Union states will meet in Luxembourg--and decide whether to live up to their warnings to the Burmese junta.

Three weeks ago, the EU vowed to step up sanctions on the Burmese regime if it cracked down violently on the protesters. If the EU fails to take action now, the Burmese regime will take it as a sign that international pressure is mere talk, and won't hesitate to commit further atrocities.

Burma isn't a democracy, but EU countries should be. If we can send a flood of messages to our own foreign ministers before the meeting on Monday, we can press each of them to vote for stronger sanctions and targeted incentives to push the regime into dialogue-- without hurting ordinary Burmese people. Click here to send an email to your foreign minister:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_squeeze_the_junta/d.php?cl=31295053

The brutal Burmese military sees EU sanctions as a serious threat. To finance its vast army, the junta exports billions in gas, oil, gems, and timber each year. Targeting these industries will hit the state-run monopolies, but won't affect the public; most Burmese are desperately poor and gain nothing from this ugly trade. In parallel we can offer aid and incentives for reconciliation. Strong sanctions would give the democracy movement a powerful bargaining chip-- the government might cede power in exchange for them being lifted.

That's why Aung San Suu Kyi, the iconic Burmese opposition leader, has been calling for stronger international sanctions for more than a decade. And it's why, earlier this week, she refused to back down--even after the dictator Than Shwe promised to meet with her if she would drop her demands.

We can stand with Suu Kyi, with the monks and other protesters--so many of whom have given their lives--by supporting their call. Let's send a flood of messages to the EU foreign ministers before they meet this Monday, supporting targeted sanctions and incentives for Burma:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/eu_squeeze_the_junta/d.php?cl=31295053

The very day before the Burmese junta's crackdown began, the EU threatened to "reinforce and strengthen the existing sanctions regime" if the junta were to "resort to using violence against the unarmed and peaceful demonstrators." Meanwhile, a remarkable global movement has arisen--protests worldwide, media attention, more than 750,000 individuals signing the Avaaz petition on Burma.

Unless European countries act now, international pressure could lose all credibility. It is up to us to make sure that our leaders live up to their own words--and take meaningful action now to support the Burmese people.

With hope and determination,

Ben, Ricken, Pascal, Graziela, Galit, Iain, Paul, Sarah, and Milena - the Avaaz team.

PS: Some recommended background reading...

Suu Kyi refusing to surrender to Than Shwe on sanctions - http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3043752.ece

A comprehensive background on Burma sanctions; excellent answers to common questions - http://www.burmacampaign.org.uk/reports/targeted_sanctions.htm

A statement supporting sanctions by the National League of Democracy spokesperson -
http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=308

And the European Union statement threatening stronger sanctions if the Burmese government resorted to violence -
http://www.eu2007.pt/UE/vEN/Noticias_Documentos/Declaracoes_PESC/20070925PESCII.htm