9 Killed in 2nd Day of Myanmar Crackdown

There were reports that some had taken a government official hostage. But those reports have to be taken with a truckload of salt, naturally.

I guess this was a rather predictable thing to happen, but that doesn't make it any less tragic. I wonder what the reaction in New York will be (lots of world leaders at the UN General Assmbly this week), but I'm not optimistic given China's position.

Myanmar will address the UN General Assembly on 1 Oct. I for one am looking forward to the live webcast.

Militant Buddhist monks???

I had the exact same reaction.

Every news story I have heard beginning when the monks first started walking said: the government would be stupid to act against the monks. And yet the gov't did anyway. It will be interesting now to see how this unfolds. Will a gov't run by a few be able to silence the tens of thousands?

Last time this happened the government murdered 3000 civilians. Hopefully it won't come to that again.

I had the exact same reaction.

Every news story I have heard beginning when the monks first started walking said: the government would be stupid to act against the monks. And yet the gov't did anyway. It will be interesting now to see how this unfolds. Will a gov't run by a few be able to silence the tens of thousands?

I would imagine that one of the reason the government thinks it can get away with attacking Buddhist monks is because they aren't militant--- if they used violence to defend themselves, (even guerrilla warfare), the government might possibly have been more hesitant. (While they don't have the advanced weapons the govt does, there are a lot of monks).

I am convinced that they will eventually win-- as Gandhi has shown, non-violence is ultimately effective (just as violence is, ultimately, counter-productive). The tragic part of the story, of course, is how many innocents will die-- and other wise suffer.

I would imagine that one of the reason the government thinks it can get away with attacking Buddhist monks is because they aren't militant-

Of course this isn't the only part of the world where these peaceful folk are being massacred. Buddhist monks are also being killed and maimed in increasing numbers in Thailand, as well :-(

There's no civil-war in Myanmar, just some isolates sectarian conflicts.

And it seems that China is hardly one to pass judgment on a situation that includes the oppression of Buddhist monks. Seems like they should have asked to abstain from the vote on this given their history.

And it seems that China is hardly one to pass judgment on a situation that includes the oppression of Buddhist monks. Seems like they should have asked to abstain from the vote on this given their history.

Among other atrocities (and there are many others!) China has been extremely supportive if the Sudanese government-- and their brutality vs Blacks in Darfur.

Wait... China hopes Myanmar officials exercise restraint before things get complicated?

What constitutes "complicated" these days?...

From China's point of view, I imagine they mean "before the excesses of the Myanmar govt reach a point where the world intercedes, and the Myanmar govt is significantly weakened-- or even overthrown". In that case, China would loose an ally and friend.

I'm hoping Myanmar's neighbors including Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia put political pressure on them, but I'm not counting on it.

I don't know how many of them want to, or what power they have...? Sadly, Thailand also faces extreme brutality directed at their Buddhist monks.

Malaysia, of course, is a Muslim country-- so in Thailand their sympathy probably lies more with those directing the violence vs the Buddhists, rather than the Buddhist victims. Since the perpetrators in Myanmar are not Muslim, I don't what Malaysia's policy would be.