I posted this on the Lounge thread, but this seems to be the one that people are following.

I read in The Scotsman this morning that the EU is threatening to boycott the Olympics next year if China doesn't intervene.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/inte...?id=1549412007

moveon.org has a definite political agenda in the U.S. But they also use their database for issues that should be completely non partisan -- Burma, Darfur etc. I don't think they are the answer but at least they are trying which is more than most other organizations are doing.

I've been finding this thread, with all the links, the best way to keep current on the tragedy unfolding in Burma. Thanks for keeping this on-going.

I am still confused about the issue of boycotts. Sometime yesterday I heard on one news report that the pro-democracy movement's 'official' stance is for boycotts as a way of showing solidarity with the movement. Does anyone know if this is accurate?

There is a big difference of opinion about this among advocates. many support a boycott. Others feel it hurts more than it helps because the rich get around it and the poor just get poorer.At least from the west. I think everyone believes that pressure from China would make a difference.

"The Lady" did call for a boycott. However, many democracy advocates believe that she would not say that today if she knew its ramifications. I do know that both times I was in Burma I never met one person who felt that the boycott was helping. But like most huge problems, there is no one right way to deal with it or solve it which is why there is a divergence of opinions on this one.

The question of a boycott has become a real hard call. I've always been dead set against a boycott. I visited Burma a few years ago and was sure it was the correct thing to do. But the events of the last few days has caused me to think about it and I just don't know anymore. If tourism dried up, would that hurt the junta? Would it make them think about what they are doing? No one knows the answers to these questions. But Gloria is correct, no one I met in Burma said we should have stayed away, they were grateful we came to their country. Would they feel that way today? Who knows. I wish I had the answer.

Tourism doesn't mean squat to the military junta at this point. The junta are making billions on the sale of natural gas and other natural resources to China, India, Thailand and Singapore so if no tourists showed up, so what. I don't believe that the military junta thinks about anything - they are just a bunch of stupid thugs. The Burmese people need us and will continue to welcome us.

I completely agree with Craig. In fact I suspect the government would be happy to keep westerners out. It will be interesting to see what they do about visas in the future. They want to keep the country as isolated as possible.

Unconfirmed report of soldier mutineers:

"The organisation Helfen ohne Grenzen (Help without Frontiers) is reporting that "Soldiers from the 66th LID (Light Infantry Divison) have turned their weapons against other government troops and possibly police in North Okkalappa township in Rangoon and are defending the protesters. At present unsure how many soldiers involved."

http://www.newsdeskspecial.co.uk/burma/

There may also have been a coup deposing the number one general . . .

One can only hope.

here's to hoping

http://tinyurl.com/2hsnp2

Video shows Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai 'being shot deliberately'

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle2550369.ece

Craig,

Is this what you were telling us about?

http://www.irrawaddymedia.com/news/news_sept29_01.php

Craig, I understand what you are saying and I think you are correct, but I can't help wondering if our going there is telling the junta, wrongly so in many cases, that we aren't concerned with the oppression caused. That our travel there is perhaps seen as a tacit approval of, or at least not disapproving of the regime. I would hate for it to be interpreted that way. There are people who go and really don't think about the situation and that's fine for them, I'm certainly not going to sit here in judgment with a holier than thou attitude, but that's not me. Why I would care what a bunch of thugs think, I'm not sure. All I'm saying is, the question is more muddied than before.

HT - yup, that's what I'm talking about.

Laurie, my take on this is that nothing has changed about the regime - its response was pretty much predictable - so nothing has changed about my opinion about going there. I appreciate your thoughts...

Are you guys coming to Boston for the GTG?

Yeah, we'll be there. Looking forward to seeing you and everyone else.

What is your take on the rumors of a coup? I fear it's all wishful thinking...

Kathie,

In every rumor there is a glimmer of truth somewhere. I know that Gen Maung Aye is just as ruthless as Than Shwe but is the only one of the four who sympathizes with the old ways thus is the only one protecting ASSK. His soldiers guard her.

There is no doubt that as Than Shwe gets sicker and older some form of change is coming sooner now than later. Hopefully the happenings of the past weeks will hasten that. It could be that Maung Aye is positioning himself to be the savior of his countries time. There is hope there. Wouldn't bet on it though.

Just glad to see that media coverage continues as the UN's Ibrahim Gambari attempts to meet Myanmar junta leaders. ABC News had a blurb on it tonight within the first 10 minutes of the broadcast.

AC360 on CNN is showing footage smuggled out of Myanmar - definitely a brutal crackdown, which seems to have worked.

Listened to NPR's Newshour tonight and they had Priscilla Clapp and a Chinese professor on. They pretty much agreed with each other.

Priscilla Clapp was the Chief of Mission (no "ambassador" title) in Burma from 1999-2002.

Both said that the role of China has been much overblown in the West and that we should not look to China to have that much influence on the Burmese government. Their point is an excellent one - that the generals who are in power at the moment got there partially by defeating the Burmese Communists, who were supported by the Chinese Communists. So, these two countries have been warily circling each other rather than being the bosom buddies that some would make them out to be.

Nevertheless, China does have a major role to play, particularly in bringing the various sides together. Other countries, such as Thailand and India, should not be ruled out either.

The best avenue seems to be the UN, whose envoy has been able to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi twice and will meet with General Than Shwe.

You can listen to their discussion on NPR.

Let us wish these gentle and dignified people a quick resolution to their crisis.

Very sad to watch that CNN footage. As for China, I believe its influence on Myanmar is more monetary than political. However, calls for sanctions have gone unheeded...

If you subscribe either in print or on line to the Wall Street Journal there have been several excellent articles and Op-Eds in recent days including an interesting history of the military junta that covers how and why it operates as it does in the October 1 issue.