Burma: A very, very bad day

Sadly, but not at all surprisingly, the Burmese army opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in Rangoon on Wed. At this point, information is scarce, jumbled, and not very reliable, but it appears at least five protesters were killed, several of them Buddhist monks.

In addition, it sounds like hundreds, also including monks, were arrested.

The government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and has banned any public gathering of more than five people.

The UN is making the expected noises, but that toothless talk-shop will take no action. The Chinese, the only nation on Earth which has any clout with the junta, have remained mute on the subject. The international community either cannot or will not take any action on behalf of the people of Burma.

As noted above, information coming out of Burma is scattered and sketchy. You can get a somewhat detailed overview of events from BBC or MSNBC (or any number of other mainstream news sites, I'm sure). However, blogs are turning out to be the best source of as-it-happens news, photos, and video. A few to peruse:

Ko Htlke
Burma Digest
New Mandala
Kachin News Group
Shan Herald Agency
Kaowao News Group
Irrawaddy

As we conjected yesterday, the streets of Rangoon and other population centers were blocked today, by soldiers and hired thugs. All were armed and at least some of those arms were used as they were in 1988.

Does it end here? What hits the Internet tomorrow? Is the Burmese population too beaten down to continue the effort, knowing more tear gas and live rounds await them? Or have they had it with the status quo? Has living in poverty amid vast natural resources finally pushed the average Oo and Tin to say, "Enough is enough"? Have the years of repression and fear sent the Burmese over the edge into out-and-out revolution?

I fear it ends here. A devoutly Buddhist nation, I suspect Burma and it's people do not resort to violence in the face of violence. And I don't know what the right answer is. I try to put myself in the shoes of the Ko-on-the-street, and I don't know what I'd do.