Yangon (AsiaNews) – Security forces continue to round up activists as Myanmar's regime tightens its grip, while among the Burmese population of every religion – Buddhist, Christian, Muslim - “anger and disappointment” reigns regarding the recent visit of the UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari, who left yesterday “empty handed” and the attitude of near-by powers. AsiaNews sources in Mandalay speak of “numerous arrests” carried out last night by Burmese security forces. The same situation in Yangon, heart of the anti-junta protests. Witnesses speak of raids on various zones, during the hours of the curfew; in particular around the famous Shwedagon pagoda. Government forces are also taking passers-by, without distinction. A common farmer, who has asked to remain anonymous, tells that he was held captive for three days in the old Yangon technical University, simply because he “passed close to marchers”. “In the building – in continues – tens of thousands of people have been amassed in desperate hygienic conditions, while the bonzi refuse to eat the food given to them by guards”. In a veritable onslaught of psychological terrorism police comb the streets shouting from megaphones that they have photos of wanted people, who will “soon be captured”.
Conditions worse than ‘88
It is impossible to establish how many people have been arrested in the aftermath of demonstrations which reached their climax almost three weeks ago. What is certain is that compared to the last great popular uprising – in 1988, bloodily quashed with over 3 thousand deaths – “there are fewer victims, but greater repression” the people say. Activists estimate that over 6 thousand people are missing or detained, 1400 of whom are Buddhist monks and a UN official with three of his family. The official death toll from the military intervention in peaceful protests stands at 10, but according to diplomatic sources and international groups the real number could be well over 200.
The people’s conditions are far worse than ’88: tourism has been decimated and also the already miserly earnings of the population, taxi drivers complain that no-one is taking taxis and that they are without work, in the market place even the price of basic food items has risen drastically.
Anger and disappointment reigns
Meanwhile the world is waiting for Gambari’s report to the secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, on his for day mission to ex Burma, due to be delivered this evening; there the former Nigerian Foreign Minister met with junta chief Than Shwe and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
But the people have little trust in the UN and anger is on the rise at the acquiescence of international governments to the military regime. “After Gambari left – underline anonymous sources – the repression started again, worse than before, we feel abandoned by world powers and we are also very angry at our neighbours China, India and Thailand, we refuse to adopt tough measures against our regime, but instead support it in order to continue their exploitation of our products and natural resources”. But their anger is first and foremost directed at the government and soldiers who have “profaned our temples and Buddhist monasteries and used force against the bonzi, towards whom even foreigners show respect”.
Despite all of this the population still feels that it has “a duty to protest”. Catholics and Muslims join Buddhists in prayer for democracy and an end to violence – they say at Mandalay – what is positive is that now all of the world knows about our tragedy, we only hope that camera’s will not soon stop filming, and that they will help us further our cause for freedom”.
