Take action now : Join the Worldwide Protests Saturday 29th September

On Saturday protests are being held throughout the world. IUSY urges all its member organisations to join in these protests. Consult your local/national media for details of these protests. If you have information on protests in your country post them as a comment here so that other people are made aware of the protest. If you are member of facebook, join the group 'Support the Monks Protest in Burma', you will find information on some of the protests being organised.

ACT NOW-EXPRESS YOUR SOLIDARITY AND JOIN A PROTEST NEAR YOU !

SI stands firm with the people of Burma

The Socialist International, which has long supported the people of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy and the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) in their courageous struggle for freedom and democracy, reiterates today its firm support and solidarity with the Burmese people and with all those brave citizens who have taken to the streets nationwide to demonstrate their opposition to the ruling junta.
The Socialist International condemns unreservedly the criminal violence perpetrated by the military regime against innocent civilians with reports of many people injured and others killed. The Burmese generals should immediately stop these attacks, release Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, and respect the lives and the rights of their citizens.
The Socialist International urgently appeals to the international community and to all nations to take all the measures necessary to prevent the Burmese regime from continuing this course of action, and implement initiatives to this end, including imposing sanctions on the military dictatorship and holding those responsible accountable for the crimes committed.
The Socialist International salutes the Burmese people for their bravery and their dignified, peaceful resistance to this brutal regime which has for too long ignored their needs and perpetuated the political and economic hardship under which they live. Today they do not stand alone. Millions of people around the world support their demands and have made their cause their own.
The Socialist International remains ready to continue cooperating with the people and the democratic forces of Burma to overcome this difficult moment in their history and to put in place the institutions required to build the future of democracy, peace and prosperity which they so deserve.

Various updates on situation in Burma 28 September

(Time 5.21 PM) The 'government' has cut Internet access, raising fears that a deadly crackdown was set to intensify.

Update on Situation in Yangon : Crowds taunt military (time : 16.45)

Crowds taunted soldiers and police who barricaded central Yangon on Friday to prevent more mass protests against Myanmar's 45 years of military rule and deepening economic hardship.
Potentially deadly games of cat and mouse went on for hours around the barbed-wire barriers in a city terrified of a repeat of 1988, when the army killed an estimated 3,000 people in its ruthless crushing of an uprising.
Few monks were among the crowds taunting and cursing the soldiers. When the troops charged, the protesters vanished into narrow side streets, only to emerge elsewhere to renew their abuse until darkness fell and an overnight curfew loomed.
"Fuck you, army. We only want democracy," some yelled in English. Despite the visceral anger in their voices, far fewer protesters turned out in Yangon than earlier in the week.
"May the people who beat monks be struck down by lightning," others chanted in Burmese a day after soldiers ransacked 10 monasteries and carted off hundreds of the monks who filled five city blocks with their supporters on Monday and Tuesday.

Update on Situation in Rangoon (time : 13.21)

Burmese soldiers and police are baton charging small groups of protesters who are trying to gather in Rangoon. They are arresting and imprisoning monks- so far over 700 have been arrested.They have raided dozens of monasteriesWhile the regime is stating only 9 have been killed the number is far closer to 200 They have snipers on tops of buildings to pick off the leaders. We are getting reports of a massacre at a temple last night, around 200 monks may have been killed.

Key Monasteries Sealed off, US steps up pressure

1. Burma's security forces have sealed off the five main monasteries in Rangoon and declared them no-go areas to prevent anti-government protests.Troops have sealed off the key monasteries and pagodas in Rangoon, including Shwedagon and Sule pagodas - the focal point for some of the larger protests earlier in the week.

2. The US has imposed sanctions targeting Burma's military leaders and called on China, one of Burma's closest partners, to put more pressure on the country.

Number of Detained Activists on the increase

Please check out the website of the thai based NGO 'Assisted Association for Political Prisoners' which is keeping a list of activists known to be detained by the military junta since the beginning of the peaceful protests in Burma began :

http://www.aappb.org/

Military Junta tightens control on the Media

The military rulers in Rangoon have taken the offensive in the battle to control the flow of information in the country.

Websites and internet blogs posting information and photographs of the government's action have been blocked. Telephone lines and mobile phone signals to monasteries, opposition politicians and student leaders have been cut. There have also been reports that mobile phone signals and telephone lines of domestic and foreign journalists have been cut.

All this has made it more difficult for people to upload pictures of the mass protests to be picked up by international satellite news channels and beamed around the world, including back to Burma.

In a sign that the military junta is afraid of foreign radio and satellite TV coverage of the protests and the crackdown, the state-run media has begun to blame foreign media for inciting the trouble.

Wear a RED T-SHIRT today in support of the people of Burma

Support those fighting for democracy in Burma-WEAR A RED T-SHIRT TODAY !