retired_mnw_cna

Welll the Burmese news agency is now saying 9 killed so far, including a Japanese journalist. Oops.

I don't know whether they are prone to over or under exaggeration at all. But I wonder if that is the real total.

retired_ehicks84

china hardly a bastion of human rights itself, but the very least it should be doing is telling burma it's not getting another cent if it continues like this.

retired_khabmth

Yea we are all so very surprised...

retired_ks reddy

The news is heavily government controlled. I'll be very surprised if it's just nine.

Looks like neither side is going to back down which means it's going to get much, much worse. If China won't do anything, and they won't, then I can't see anything that can be done.

retired_the gizmo

Yea we are all so very surprised... </BLOCKQUOTE>

next someone will try to tell me that france's international stances are just as financially based as america's.

retired_ks reddy

"3:40 p.m
Junta seals off Rangoon general hospital compound.

3:30 p.m
WHO officials said they have rush to the Rangoon general hospital to donate medicines after hearing that several people have been injured after troops shot protesters. However, the hospital authorities rejected the donation and sent them back.

When Mizzima contacted the Rangoon general hospital, to confirm of the information, officials of the hospital did not deny or confirm the information but cut off the telephone."

""Students numbering about 30,000 holding the flag of a fighting peacock started marching from Nyaungpinlay market on the Lanmadaw street but did not come to Sule pagoda side and headed for the other side. And inside the Sule Park people with batons and machetes are preparing to attack. All together there are about 3000 to 4000 people waiting to attack near the Sule area. People are also gathering near the Sule pagoda and are defying the junta in their own way."

"In most of the street corners near the Sule, people are waiting with batons and machetes to attack any members of Swan Arrshin if they would appear""

On the plus side there are rumours of generals refusing to crack down on protesters, splits among the military and that the Senior General has flown his family out of the country. Just rumours so far though.

retired_mnw_cna

So pretty much exactly as people had feared then.

retired_fabricodalacosta

Christ - helluva situation. Must be awful to be stuck in it.

retired_ks reddy

I'm not sure. If Shwe really has sent his family out of the country it could be because he's prepared to retire with good grace rather than fight out a civil war if other army chiefs side with the populace. The best hope for a peaceful return to democracy is an army that's happy with it.

But as I say it's all rumours at the moment.

retired_assy22

Than Shwe's old and infirm, sending his family away speaks of nothing at all because he doesn't have anything to lose: hence keeping his family safe is priority number one. Junta won't collapse upon his death, it's proven more resilient than just another individual figurehead.