Shots Fired At Huge Myanmar Protest

Troops Appeared To Aim Above Crowd Of 70,000 Anti-Gov't Demonstrators

(CBS/AP)  Soldiers fired warning shots above an estimated crowd of 70,000 anti-government demonstrators who gathered in Yangon Thursday in defiance of a crackdown that has sparked international concern and appeals to Myanmar's ruling junta to show restraint in its reaction to the protesters.

Witnesses said at least one man had been shot, though the weapons fire did not appear to be aimed directly at the crowd that had gathered at Sule Pagoda.

Protesters shouted at the soldiers, angry about early morning raids by security forces on Buddhist monasteries during which soldiers reportedly beat up and arrested more than 100 monks.

Earlier Thursday morning, China called on all sides in Myanmar to exercise restraint and exhorted foreign media not to worsen the situation by exaggerating events.

"China hopes all parties can exercise restraint and properly handle the situation," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a media briefing. She said foreign reports risked "exaggerating and hyping up" the situation.

The unfolding crackdown by Myanmar's government against democracy demonstrators, many of them Buddhist monks, has put China in a difficult position.

The communist government has developed close diplomatic ties with Myanmar's government and is major trading partner and investor. But with the Beijing Olympics 11 months away, China has been fending off criticism that it shelters unpopular or abusive regimes around the world.

Wednesday, security forces in Myanmar opened fire on demonstrators, and witnesses said police beat and dragged away dozens of Buddhist monks. The government said at least one person was killed, while dissident groups and media reported up to eight dead.

The military junta's announcement on state radio and television was the first acknowledgment that force has been used to suppress the protests and its first admission that blood had been shed after a month of mostly peaceful demonstrations.

The United States and the European Union condemned the attacks and called on the military rulers to open a dialogue with pro-democracy leaders, including detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a joint statement on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

The U.N. Security Council will hold closed consultations on Myanmar later Wednesday, said U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe.

About 300 monks and activists were arrested on the ninth straight day of anti-government protests in Yangon, dissidents said, although that number could not be independently confirmed.

Myanmar's leaders had warned the monks to stop the protests after some 100,000 people joined marches Monday in the largest anti-government demonstrations since a 1988 pro-democracy uprising was violently suppressed in the country formerly known as Burma.

The government said security forces opened fire after the crowd of 10,000 people, including "so-called monks," failed to disperse at Yangon's Sule Pagoda. It said the police used minimum force.

The dead man, aged 30, was hit by a bullet, the announcement said. It added that the wounded, two men aged 25 and 27, and a 47-year-old woman, were also hurt when the police fired, but did not specify their injuries.

Witnesses who were known to The Associated Press said they had seen two women and one young man with gunshot wounds in the chaotic confrontations.

Khim Maung Win, deputy editor of the Democratic Voice of Burma, said eight people - five monks and three civilians - were reported killed and at least four seriously wounded.

Zin Linn, information minister for the Washington-based National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, which is Myanmar's self-styled government-in-exile, said at least five monks were killed, while an organization of exiled political activists in Thailand, the National League for Democracy-Liberated Area said three monks had been confirmed dead, and about 17 wounded.

The reports could not be independently confirmed by the AP.

The security forces had fired warning shots and tear gas to try to disperse the crowds of demonstrators while hauling away the defiant, cinnamon-robed monks into waiting military trucks - the first mass arrests since protests in this military dictatorship erupted Aug. 19. The monks are highly revered in Myanmar.

In its joint statement condemning the attack on protesters, the United States and the EU urged the Security Council to "discuss this situation urgently and consider further steps including sanctions."

It also urged China, India and Southeast Asian nations to use their influence to end the crackdown.

"The European Union and the United States express their solidarity with the people of Burma/Myanmar. We are deeply troubled by reports that security forces have fired on and attacked peaceful demonstrators and arrested many Buddhist monks and others," the joint statement said.

"We call on the authorities to stop the violence and to open a process of dialogue with pro-democracy leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi and representatives of the ethnic minorities," the document said.

Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said after the meeting at the EU mission in New York that the diplomats agreed the "text had to be very strong."

On Tuesday, President Bush announced new U.S. sanctions against Myanmar, accusing the military dictatorship of imposing "a 19-year reign of fear" that denies basic freedoms of speech, assembly and worship. (Video)

David Miliband, the U.K. Foreign Secretary, said Wednesday morning after a conversation with the British Ambassador to Myanmar that the "situation remains very tense."

"It's important that they (junta) continue to understand that restraint must remain the order of the day," Miliband told reporters, adding that the military regime seemed at least cognizant of the fact that the world was watching very carefully.

Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, who was appointed as the U.N's independent expert on human rights in Myanmar seven years ago, told the AP the confrontation between the monks and the security forces will end in "a disaster" unless the international community makes a concerted effort to stop further escalation.

"You will have a real threat to security in the area because you will have a regime that is politically unstable for many years to come," Pinheiro said in Geneva.

The use of force will almost certainly put pressure on Myanmar's top economic and diplomatic supporter, China, which is eager to burnish its international image before next year's Olympics in Beijing.

When faced with a similar crisis in 1988, Myanmar brutally suppressed a student-led democracy uprising. Soldiers shot into crowds of peaceful demonstrators, killing thousands.

The junta had banned all public gatherings of more than five people and imposed a nighttime curfew following eight days of anti-government marches led by monks across the country in the largest protests in nearly 20 years.

As the ninth day of unrest began Wednesday, the crowd of monks and students - along with members of Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party - set off from the famed Shwedagon Pagoda to the Sule Pagoda in the heart of the city, but were blocked by military trucks along the route.

Other blocs of marchers fanned out into downtown streets with armed security forces trying to disperse them. There were reports of destruction of property but it was unclear whether this was carried out by the demonstrators or pro-junta thugs, who were seen among the troops and police. Witnesses said an angry mob at the pagoda burned two police motorcycles.

"They will kill us, monks and nuns. Maybe we should go back to normal life as before," said a young nun, her back pressed against the back of a building near the scenes of chaos.

But a student at a roadside watching the arrival of the demonstrators said, "If they are brave, we must be brave. They risk their lives for us."

The two asked that their names not be used for fear of reprisals.

Other protesters carried flags emblazoned with the fighting peacock, a key symbol of the democracy movement in Myanmar.

Soldiers with assault rifles had earlier blocked all four major entrances to the soaring pagoda, one of the most sacred in Myanmar, and sealed other flash points of anti-government protests.

A comedian famed for his anti-government gibes became the first well-known activist rounded up following the protests. Zarganar, who uses only one name, was taken from his home overnight by authorities.

The junta imposed the 9 p.m.-to-5 a.m. curfew and ban on public assembly after 35,000 people monks and their supporters defied the warnings Tuesday.

The demonstrations began after the government raised fuel prices in one of Asia's poorest countries. But they are based in deep-rooted dissatisfaction with the repressive military rule that has gripped the country since 1962.

In Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, more than 800 monks, nuns and laymen played a cat-and-mouse game with some 100 soldiers who tried to stop them marching from the Mahamuni Paya Pagoda, which they had tried to enter earlier.

[zootallures2]

"The protest is not merely for the well-being of people but also for monks struggling for democracy..."

Democracy is how you got the dictatorship in the first place. Perhaps you ment a Representative Republic or a Republic with citizen voting rights? Where people vote on whats best for everyone with in the bounds of their Constitution. Not on selfish political and personal views.

[alphaa10-2009]

"Democracy is how you got the dictatorship in the first place..."
---
Democracy makes many things possible-- including misjudgments. But a conveniently post-facto, armchair dismissal of democracy as the path to ruin, or an ill-advised sop to the rabble is the line taken by Louis XIV, and in latter days, certain GOPs who oppose making the vote widely available.

Bush, for example, is on record having charged voter registration groups in the Southwest with vote fraud. The charge was baseless and nothing came of it, but was a reminder sharing power with voters is the last thing a wannabe dictator wishes.

After all, Bush is the individual who, in November, 2005, facing an assembly of party members critical of his NSA spying program, bristled like a teenager caught drinking after curfew-- "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face!", he said. "It''s just a GD)((#@*! piece of paper!"

[signof4]

Richard Gere.....where are ya, buddy???

[antoniof123]

After all, Bush is the individual who, in November, 2005, facing an assembly of party members critical of his NSA spying program, bristled like a teenager caught drinking after curfew-- "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face!", he said. "It''''s just a GD)((#@*! piece of paper!"

Posted by alphaa10 at 11:08 AM : Sep 25, 2007

And he had the nerve to say something what a joke he is.

[clew37]

I''m more outraged by the continued rapes and abuse in Dafur, but I don''t see Bush and Co. doing anything about that.

[mudrose-2009]

I''''m more outraged by the continued rapes and abuse in Dafur, but I don''''t see Bush and Co. doing anything about that.
Posted by clew37

If he did, you''d be screaming Imperalism. There have been countless speaches and long invocations for the U.N. to do something about the injustice in Dafur and now Burma. This body of worthless wonks do nothing. When it comes to genocide they just sit there and stare.

[antoniof123]

Let China deal with it it is in their backyard.

[mudrose-2009]

Let China deal with it it is in their backyard.
Posted by antoniof123

Then, please make sure you and the rest of the numbnuts stop b/itching about Dafur, too.

[aaabee-2009]

A regime that wants to retain power for itself.
A military that is willing to shoot its own citizens. Weapons used on people carrying no weapons.
A small group of people holding the masses by fear.
Guns. Fear. Power.

And conservatives demonize liberals in this country for questioning the ethics and morals of its governing body?

The conservative element of our own citizenry want centralization of power within their own political party just like this. And does anyone believe that the GOP is so altruistic and humanitarian that gaining and keeping power for themselves will not result in similar circumstances as what is happening in Yangon today?

Bush and Co, themselves US citizens, have showed us their intent to tread on our Constitution and their desire to centralize power within the Republican party for their own benefit. This country is not immune to what is happening in Yangon, and if We, the People allow our constitution to be stomped on long enough, our situation as citizens will mirror Yangon very quickly.

[mudrose-2009]

Bush and Co, themselves US citizens, have showed us their intent to tread on our Constitution and their desire to centralize power within the Republican party for their own benefit. This country is not immune to what is happening in Yangon, and if We, ...Posted by AaaBee

The only centralizing of power that I see is the Congress trying to overpower the Executive. The fact that they want to centralize health care starting with Schip where in the State of New Jersey their Governor is attempting to put people into this program with an annual income of $72,225 per year and taking them off private insurance is what I call centralizing government. Please don''t accuse the Executive of stomping on the Constitution. The Dimnowits have continually done this and will continue to do so unless we stop them. There are three co-equal banches of government. Each has a responsibility. The Executive to defend the Constitution and this Country which Bush has done. The Congress to legislate and the Bench to ensure that these laws are interpreted not legislated. The fact that the people of Burma elected a Democratic run government that has been under house arrest for 19 years is a poor analogy to make. Bush stands before the U.N. and tells them to help the people of Burma and this body of wonks stares into space. I don''t understand this propensity to compare our country to the worst dictatorships in existence. What is wrong with the whole lot of you?

[coffee_guy1]

If they did that to me I''d go into ninja mode.

[coffee_guy1]

VVVVVVVVVVVT! Ninja mode..

[coffee_guy1]

BOOM! BASH! BAKATA!

"Geez what happened?"

"Someones in ninja mode."

[mudrose-2009]

Their courage is awe inspiring. Their cause is just. My guess is that like Dafur, the world body will just stare and shrug their shoulders like it''s nothing new and nothing to get all too troubled about. You know, the "we have our own troubles" crowd.

[coffee_guy1]

Ya see this pinky? Ya see this pinky?

[coffee_guy1]

This pinky is de master pinky..

[coffee_guy1]

Thats guy you guys wanna be in charge of the media, muddy lady. Ya just wanna control everybody''s destinies. Ya wanna be their conscience? Ya wanna be their heroes? Ya wanna be their laxitives? Ya wanna be their kuckleberries.. And I ain''t buying it no more.

[coffee_guy1]

"There''ll be tulips."

[mudrose-2009]

There''''ll be tulips."
Posted by coffee_guy1

We''re talking mustaches on the O''Reilly site. Come on over. Burma is very troubling. I just hope the whole *** country revolts agasint this dictatorship. And I hope the world body sanctions this military junta to death.

[coffee_guy1]

Bad stuff happens all over the world. All over the world.. and nobody does nothing about it. Why?

Well first of all ya have to ask yerself the question: "Can I do something about it?" And thats a loaded question. It doesn''t just mean "are you capable", it means, do you have that mandate?

And secondly, use Iraq as an example. How much trouble was that place? Huh? How many different "heroes" are there? Some thieves, some perverts, some mass murderers. Its like chemotherapy.. the cure worse than the disease.

[starleo146]

After all, Bush is the individual who, in November, 2005, facing an assembly of party members critical of his NSA spying program, bristled like a teenager caught drinking after curfew-- "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face!", he said. "It''''''''s just a GD)((#@*! piece of paper!"

Posted by alphaa10 at 11:08 AM : Sep 25, 2007

And he had the nerve to say something what a joke he is.

Posted by antoniof123 at 09:06 PM : Sep 25, 2007

I know we all have ideas as to what we feel is right or wrong, but in my opinion this man, Pres. Bush has absolutely no idea what this country is all about. When I heard that the first year he was put into office by the Supreme Court, I thought how can this be? I heard yesterday one of the judges that had a hand in a ruling that sent the Gore Bush controversy to the Supreme court was Alito and he was rewarded with the supreme court justice and Scalia''s son was part of Bush''s law team. So when anyone says this man cares about America he cared very deeply to be Pres. enough so he is still manipulating the constitution and the Executive Branch.

[coffee_guy1]

A conscience? *big gore sigh*.. A conscience is a good thing to have. But its important to recognize that a line has long been crossed between individual conscience, and global altruistic conscience. That too is a misrepresentation of Jesus. The notion that one''s conscience grants them jurisdiction into places otherwise untenable, is not a holy endeavor. But a wholey evil one.. the one that invites military intrusion into stranger''s lives! Any military.. Any force. One should not think one''s conscience has solution. One''s conscience is not meant for solutions.. but rather, memories. Personal.. private memories. Thats not cowardace.. quite the contrary. But something far more admirable: Humility.

Quit being our conscience. You''re numbing it. You''re destroying it. Let people be their own conscience.

[coffee_guy1]

This 21rst century is going to be a test of conscience. From peckkkkertrack? To saving the world. And nobody will know how to deal with it.. Nobody. And nobody will care.

I am not responsible for these things that happen 10,000 miles away. I can''t be. It is impossible. So separate that aspect of your thinking from my government. A government is not a thing of God.. It is a thing of simplicity and solutions. And very few things in this world have those.. Very few things.

Intervention is not an option.

[afmca]

If there ever was a country that needs a regime change it is Myanmar. Hey, King George - do they have oil?

[coffee_guy1]

You know why you like conscience so much, muddy lady? So you can sell vacuum cleaners.

[coffee_guy1]

The world.. is a bird in a cage. Leave de cage door open.. Leave de cage door open.

[mudrose-2009]

You know why you like conscience so much, muddy lady? So you can sell vacuum cleaners.

Posted by coffee_guy1

Yeah, wasn''t it Hoover who wore a dress? I truly liked your bird cage analogy, however. If you leave the cage open you don''t have to clean up the *** now, right?

[coffee_guy1]

We''re shut''n down Fox. Cnn and msnbc too. They cause this stuff.. fer despots who just wanna be famous.

[aaabee-2009]

What is wrong with the whole lot of you?
Posted by mudrose at 10:29 AM : Sep 26, 2007

I am sorry, Mudrose. I just somehow felt that safe-guarding our fragile democracy was better than head-stuck-in-the-sand denial.

You alone are right, and 71% of this nation''s citizenry is wrong. We will love Bush because you say he is good....we will love Bush because you say he is worthy....we will love Bush because of all the benefits he has rained on this country..........

And it is you, and the likes of you that will drive this country down the dictatorship hole because of your blind selfish loyalty to a twisted party and your bleating insistence that we all follow authority like a good sheep.

When a Democrat president gets in there, I will watch you jump the political fence and then we will see how loyal to an America POTUS you really are, and how far you allow authority to go when it doesn''t coincide with your personal politics.

Have a lovely Bush Day. :)

[coffee_guy1]

"Yeah, wasn''''t it Hoover who wore a dress? I truly liked your bird cage analogy, however. If you leave the cage open you don''''t have to clean up the *** now, right?"

Eggzactly.. It''ll be somewhere ya won''t know, and ya won''t look fer it neither.

[mudrose-2009]

When a Democrat president gets in there, I will watch you jump the political fence and then we will see how loyal to an America POTUS you really are, and how far you allow authority to go when it doesn''''t coincide with your personal politics.

Have a lovely Bush Day. :)
Posted by AaaBee

Hey, lovie the Dimnowits that preceeded Bush gave away state secrets to China. Ever wonder how that satellite got shot out of space? You''re buddies the Clintoids gave away our secrets. What could be more harmful than an Executive like that? The SOBs did enough damage. The fact that this Executive wants to protect the country somehow offends you because you feel your liberties are being taken away. You are not that important as I am not that important. You live in an ideological state of mind and you think the Dimnowits are protecting your freedoms. Think again, they are gradually and steadily trying to take them away. But if that old socialist hag gets in, let''s see how you interpret freedom then. Open borders? Yeah, that''s freedom. Letting anybody into the country and calling them undocumented Americans? Yeah, that''s freedom. There''s your concept of freedom. Socialized Medicine. Oh yeah, that''s real freedom. Never taking any responsibility for your actions. Yup, right up there. Interesting what freedom means to the Dimnowits.

[coffee_guy1]

Ya have to understand, ab, that to people like muddy lady, freedom is a privilege. A privilege that he and his ilk can take away at the waving of a wand, should they deem you wmd. Respect? Freedom? Responsibility? These are all things only granted land owners.

[coffee_guy1]

Jesus is the devil''s tongue.

[mudrose-2009]

Eggzactly.. It''''ll be somewhere ya won''''t know, and ya won''''t look fer it neither.
Posted by coffee_guy1

Providing those little birdies don''t have a hankering to settle in the trees in your back yard.

[coffee_guy1]

Peace and prosperity, ab, has a peckkkertrack.

Love and happiness, ab, buttfukkks.

etececetera, etececetera..

[coffee_guy1]

"Providing those little birdies don''''t have a hankering to settle in the trees in your back yard."

Just so that ya know, muddy lady, my neighbor has a tomcat.

[mudrose-2009]

Ya have to understand, ab, that to people like muddy lady, freedom is a privilege. A privilege that he and his ilk can take away at the waving of a wand, should they deem you wmd. Respect? Freedom? Responsibility? These are all things only granted land owners.
Posted by coffee_guy1

And I see your respect, freedom and responsibility have all been taken away. Where''s that wand? Is it in your back pocket or did you give it to Hillary so she can wave it across the land and make you all fee free from responsibilty.

[coffee_guy1]

It isn''t enough that cable news report the news.. but that they be the ones to teach ya what it means. What it "really says".

"I can''t just show yaz whats going on. I have to be able to be the one who defines it with.. rhetoric."

[coffee_guy1]

"And I see your respect, freedom and responsibility have all been taken away. Where''''s that wand? Is it in your back pocket or did you give it to Hillary so she can wave it across the land and make you all fee free from responsibilty."

I gave it to yer enemies. When I found out you were worse than he was.

[mudrose-2009]

It isn''''t enough that cable news report the news.. but that they be the ones to teach ya what it means. What it "really says".

"I can''''t just show yaz whats going on. I have to be able to be the one who defines it with.. rhetoric."

Posted by coffee_guy1

Yeah, perhaps you can tell it to the monks. However, they seem to show it...not with rhetoric but with their lives. Wave that magic wand.

[l8c6]

Americans have felt so secure from such scenes but it should always be a warning that when wealth concentrates in the hands of a few who wish to shrink the government which represents by allowing one vote to every adult man and woman, when wealth once to privatize the resources of the country, when wealth propagandizes the message that government should serve only once purpose which is to provide security, this is the kind of security the masses receive....protection of the wealthy base of power.

[coffee_guy1]

Told ya.. I gave it away.

[coffee_guy1]

You''ll never find it..

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by l8c6

Yawn....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

[coffee_guy1]

Even I don''t know where it is, so don''t even think about tearing off my finger nails, Mr. Compassionate.

[coffee_guy1]

In fact, I''ll even play wit yaz.. "Its in my azzz."

[coffee_guy1]

"Its in my right nostril."

[l8c6]

The foundation of this country was not about fleeing religious persecution as much as it was fleeing tyranny of the wealthy who created such desperation amongst the peasants that they risked their lives to cross the ocean in vessels that had higher odds of sinking to seek opportunity to own land and till the fields. Large concentrations of corporate wealth have destroyed this. What is now called freedom in america is a lack of limits, a free ticket for sociopathic insatiable hogs who as individuals or corporate dealers will one day invoke the same maniacal hatred toward the working masses of this country should these sociopathic concentrations of wealth be challenged for their tyranny. The elements of such hatred against mankind have become more visible in recent years. An antithesis to the foundation of the United States is wearing a thin cloak of patriotism claiming to be the protection of freedom and "our way of life".

[coffee_guy1]

"Its in me septic tank."

[starleo146]

It isn''''t enough that cable news report the news.. but that they be the ones to teach ya what it means. What it "really says".

"I can''''t just show yaz whats going on. I have to be able to be the one who defines it with.. rhetoric."

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 11:31 AM : Sep 26, 2007


And I appreciate it godd, bad, or otherwise I will try to be more humble in the future coffee guy.